victory

Blessed is the Man

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“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

The other evening as I was working at my computer, I became aware of something gently flickering in the darkness outside my window. When I turned the lights off, what I saw held me in wonder for quite some minutes. There is a laurel hedge at the bottom of our garden and each glossy leaf, as it was stirred in the breeze, was catching the light of the full moon. The effect was of hundreds of little silver lights flickering in the darkness. Suddenly I realized that this full moon was the Passover moon, and it was under this same moon that Christ knelt in Gethsemane. In His anguish, His face showed no beauty that we should desire Him, and His body knelt clutching the cold ground with no form or comeliness that would appeal to us. From His face there fell great drops of sweat consisting of blood.

Alone

For so much of His life Christ had thought of others, but on this night He prayed for Himself. “‘Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless not My will, but Thine, be done.’” Luke 22:42. At this point, His life was almost crushed from Him. He had asked for human company to support Him as He had supported them, but they slept. He bore this anguish alone. They had noted nothing more than that He had become “sorrowful and very heavy.” Matthew 26:37. “Not My will, but Thine, be done” was the cry of His heart. Three times He prayed this prayer, but each was preceded by the greatest struggle of His life; His own will in opposition to that of His father.

Above Him, did the olive leaves flicker with the same little silver lights in the moonlight? Was there beauty in nature even while our Saviour, on the ground beneath, fought the greatest of battles? “To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame.…”

Do you even begin to understand this experience in your own life? It is not an experience that can be quietly and calmly undertaken, something to be ticked off as another victory over temptation—a clinical step on the Christian road. There may be times when we have overcome and we can look back on our lives with praise to God for victories won, but in each life there is the big problem, the one that keeps returning time and again. What about victory over this? The habits of a lifetime have wrapped their silken threads around us and to break free requires a different experience.

We Must Also Face Our Gethsemane

The Holy Spirit is working with each one of us and leading us to this point. This means we have to face our Gethsemane too. We have to face squarely our temptations, also.

What held Christ in submission to His Father’s will? He knew the purpose for His life; He knew the time on the clock of the Great Controversy—the prophecies that were to be fulfilled in Him, the salvation of the world that lay in those decisions. Is it any different for us? Do we know the time in which our struggles take place? Do we know the prophecies that are to be fulfilled in us? This last generation, us, today, who could be alive to see Jesus come, is the generation that the angels and the prophets have awaited through the years. The three great powers of heaven, the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, have worked for this moment in time, a time when all the strands of all ages of prophecy and salvation history will be gathered together and an end can be made of sin.

The character of God has been maligned through many centuries. All heaven is looking to us. Will we do it? Or will the challenge have to pass to another generation to reveal the character of God before the universe and demonstrate the miracle of God’s power in the weakest of human lives? Does God ask the impossible? In this, potentially the greatest of earth’s history, where are we? Do we know what it means to call ourselves a follower of Christ? Are we overcomers with Christ?

What is Your Purpose?

Unless we see the greatness of our purpose and the time in which we live, all our thought patterns will not be strong enough or focused enough to see the temptation and the sin to which it leads, with all its consequences for God and for ourselves. We have the records of Bible characters to show us how they responded to God’s will. Daniel “purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself.” Daniel 1:8. The three Hebrew young men “trusted in Him…and yielded their bodies, that they might not serve nor worship any god, except their own God.” Daniel 3:28. Ezra, who knew what it was to have the good hand of his God upon him, had “prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it.” Ezra 7:10. These men knew what rested on their lives, in their time.

One of the laws of life is that we have to yield our wishes, our desires, our lusts, and our toys, now, for the greater good of a godly character and an eternal outcome. We cannot live in both spheres at the same time. This is what it means to be a hypocrite, and the world recognizes this state very quickly. Jesus says to us, in these grand and awful times, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Matthew 16:24. This involves the initial struggle and yielding to God, to be followed by a life of cross bearing.

Victory Today—More Battles Tomorrow

The devil does not leave us after the first great victory. He returns again and again, and we have to choose and choose and choose again—on rainy days, on sick days, on bad, hormonal days, and on pressurized days.

When our lives are still bound around with those threads of habit, and yet another fine thread continues to attach us to the world, our consciences can be confused. We argue in our hearts and the whole situation is unclear. Justifications for our actions come very readily to our minds, and often we act on those without another thought. Through the Holy Spirit, whose task it is to convict of sin, the day comes for each of us when we long to be clean and have done with the wrongdoing. As we take our courage and go before the Lord to ask for freedom from these shackles of confusion, the power and pleading of the Holy Spirit fills our hearts.

The big choice to be made cannot now be mistaken. There are many smaller choices each day, but when the crucial one comes, we recognize it. The Holy Spirit has shown us clearly what it is that must be denied. What will be our response? It is so easy to say what we will do when we are not in the struggle, but we must prepare our hearts to say a clear and strong NO. During the temptation there is just a little gap, enough to allow us to gather our thoughts and find the perspective we need to be able to say NO. God will not allow us to be overcome and swept away without the ability to choose. Even during this time the devil will try to send confusion of thought. It is at this time that we need to talk to the Lord earnestly and ask, is this the situation you want me to overcome; is this the time you want me to say NO; is this plan of action the one that will keep me out of sin; please make it clear for me, and please give me the power that you have promised. This is not a crisis to cope with alone in human will power, but the occasion to talk to the Lord, second by second, and follow His guidance. His power will not say that NO for you, but it will make it possible for you to walk away without a backward thought, or to throw it away, when you have made the firm and purposeful decision to say NO.

Cutting the Threads that Bind

This process is a cutting of one of the threads that binds us. It hurts. There may be clenched fists, tight shoulders, quickened shallow breathing, sweat breaking out into clammy hands. All of us, deep inside, want it just one more time, and we know we should say NO. But to say NO, talking to God all the time, and claiming verses of Scripture—”make not provision for the lusts of the flesh,” “whatsoever He saith unto you do it.” “let a man deny himself,” “he that overcometh shall inherit all things,” “blessed is the man that endureth temptation.” (See Romans 13:14; John 2:5; Luke 9:23; Revelation 21:7; James 1:12.) We may have only split seconds to think like this, but it is a time of intense mental activity between heaven and earth, between the will of God and our desires, between the Holy Spirit and our decision. “Not My will, but Thine, be done.” At these times the three great powers of heaven, and ministering angels are on our side, but we must make the decision for ourselves. That is the dignity of humankind. We have a choice.

When the choice is made and our heart rests, after the activity, on the side of the Lord, what a peace is ours—and quietness, humility, and exhaustion, too. As we look back on the past few seconds, we know how easily we could have chosen the other way, the way that would have brought dishonor to God. But we have faced the “big one,” and we have overcome. Can you imagine the singing and the rejoicing in heaven? We forget that! Heaven and earth are very close at such times. We may experience tears, but heaven sings!

That gap, for thinking time, is very small, but this is one of the reasons that God shows us a healthier lifestyle, with more fresh fruit and vegetables, clear water to drink, exercise in the sunshine and fresh air. Good sleep is essential too. Can you respond quickly in times of drowsiness and lethargy? A clear mind, the health gifts of God’s creation and a will that we have given to God in advance and asked Him to strengthen, will divinely lengthen that split second gap and make our NO more firm. Every victory is one cord broken, and another habit pattern begun. We are one step nearer the Second Coming of Jesus and the vindication of His character, as the miracle of grace is seen by men and angels, and additional power is given to the Gospel words we speak.

When Jesus Comes—The Tempter’s Power is Broken

For now, the victory is won, but it is easy to relax too far. The devil will soon be back, and he will come again and again. This is the reason we must carry the cross of self-denial as long as we live in this world. But when Jesus comes, the power of the devil will be gone forever. The burden will be lifted from us, and we will not have to make those constant choices. It is then that we shall be able to sing of deliverance, the song of Moses and the Lamb. It will be a song that the angels cannot sing; it will be uniquely ours. Will you make that decision today? The decision that you will meet the “big one” when the next temptation comes, and that you will take up your cross and follow the Saviour until He comes?

“‘Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love Him.’” James 1:12.

Identification and Spirit of Antichrist – Part II

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We have been looking at the spirit of antichrist, and we want to look further at his philosophy and purpose.

Daniel 7:25 says, concerning the antichrist, that he “shall intend [in other words, he will do this deliberately, on purpose, intentionally] to change times and law.”

In 2 Thessalonians 2:3, he is called “the man of sin.” In verse 7, he is called “the mystery of lawlessness,” and in verse 8, he is called “The lawless one.” One more text about the antichrist says, “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits.…” 1 John 4:1. One of the great tragedies, one of the great disasters of our time is that almost the whole Christian world is in violation of this verse.

Apparitions and Wonders

When there is an apparition, when there is a spiritual happening, when there is a wonder, when there is a miracle, people gawk at it and say, Is that not wonderful? But what does the Bible say? The Bible says, do not believe every spirit. It says to test the spirits. If you are going to make it through the times just ahead, every spirit, every miracle, every teaching, every wonder, every sign must be tested by the Word of God.

“Test the spirits.” Obviously all the spirits are not good, because the Bible says to test them “whether they are of God” or not. “…because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them.” Verses 1–5.

Now, verse 3 is explicit and exact. It says, “every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.” That is an unequivocal, general, absolute statement. Furthermore, he says, “This is the spirit of the antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”

In 1 John 2:18, 19 the apostle John makes it clear that there are many antichrists. He also makes it clear that these many antichrists are people who came out of the bosom of the Christian church. “They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.” Verse 19.

Even though he acknowledges that there are many antichrists, he also acknowledges that there is one power that he calls “the antichrist.” He says, “You have heard that the Antichrist is coming.” Verse 18 (NKJV.)

The spirit of the antichrist is the spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh. (See 1 John 4:3.) This has to do with the philosophy and the purpose of antichrist. What is it all about? The question is, of course, what does it mean to say that Jesus Christ has not come in the flesh, or to not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh?

The Word “Flesh”

There has been much controversy over this text for many, many centuries. The reason that it is difficult for people to understand is because the word, flesh, is a technical term in the New Testament. In every branch of knowledge, we have technical terms. Whether you are studying medicine, aviation, electricity, chemistry, every branch of knowledge has certain technical terms to explain certain things that you are studying. The same is true in religion. The Christian religion has some technical terms, and to understand the Bible, you must understand what these technical terms mean. When the apostles talk about the flesh, they have something very specific in mind. Let us examine a few texts and see if we can figure out what this technical term means.

The Basis for All Sin

The word flesh, comes from the Greek word sarx. In the Latin equivalent, it is carnal and the English equivalent is flesh. What does this technical term mean in the New Testament? We will let the apostle John answer that. “For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.” 1 John 2:16. John says there are only three things in the world, and one of those things is the lust of the flesh.

So obviously, flesh is a technical term. It is one of only three things that even exist in this world. Now let us see what the apostle Paul says about it. He uses this term probably more than any other Bible writer does. “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.” Galatians 5:16, 17.

Paul says there is a fight going on in your mind, and that fight is between the flesh and between the spirit. Because of that battle, you cannot just do what comes naturally. “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law. Now the works of the flesh are evident.” Verses 18, 19.

If the lust of the flesh is expressed in works, what will happen and what are the works?

Paul lists about 17 things that tell what the works of the flesh are: “The works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.” Ibid.

Paul lists all these things and then he adds, and all the other things like that. Those are the works of the flesh. People who live and manifest the works of the flesh are not going to inherit the kingdom of heaven. Do you now understand what the apostles mean when they talk about the flesh?

In our modern, English speech, the modern equivalent expression to “the flesh” and all these things that he listed here, would be sin! Carnal equals flesh, self. This is our fallen, sinful human nature. Ellen White says that is what we have inside. (See Education, 29.) This is important for young people to understand. She says that we have within us “a bent to evil” that we cannot resist if we do not have help. Is that true?

The Deceitful Heart

Have you ever heard a young person say, Well, I do not want to be a Christian, but I am going to be a good person. Oh, no, you are not! You may be a good person outwardly, but your heart will not be pure and holy without the power of Christ within you. It will not happen.

The Bible says that the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked and who can know it? (See Jeremiah 17:9.) In other words, nobody can know it. That is the flesh is—your sinful, fallen, human nature. The apostle Paul talks about this extensively in Romans 8:1–14. “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.…For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded [that is fleshly minded] is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind [that is the fleshly mind, the unconverted mind] is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. [Notice, it is impossible.] So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God. But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you. Therefore, brethren, we are debtors—not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.”

Fallen Human Nature

When we are converted, we receive the Holy Spirit. Then a warfare takes place in the heart and the mind, the warfare between the Spirit and the flesh. Paul says you will live, if according to the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, the sinful, carnal, fallen human nature; that bent to sin that you cannot resist on your own without divine help. That is why Jesus came, to give you that help.

Notice in verse 3, that God sent “His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh,” and He condemned sin in the flesh.” So when the New Testament talks about the flesh, it is talking about our fallen, human nature. Does that make sense? We see that repeatedly—in Galatians 5, Romans 8, and many other places in the New Testament.

I want you to see something very interesting in 1 John 4:3. It says, “every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist.” This has to do with the basic philosophy and the purpose of the antichrist.

Again, the word flesh is talking about our fallen human nature. So let us look at that text again, replacing the word flesh, with the words our fallen human nature. “Every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the fallen human nature is not of God. And this is the spirit of the antichrist.”

A Religion of Human Nature

The antichrist power does not acknowledge that Jesus came in fallen sinful nature. In fact, that is one of the foundational points of their theology, and anyone who has studied and understands the Roman Catholic faith will confess that.

Ellen White says that the Roman Catholic religion is the religion of human nature. (See Signs of the Times, February 19, 1894.) It is a very logical religion, and it has tremendous appeal to human nature. Here is why. If Jesus did not come to this world in the likeness of sinful flesh, if He was not tempted on every point like we are tempted, if He did not come in fallen human nature, then He was different than we are. Does that make sense? If He came in the unfallen nature of Adam in the Garden of Eden, then He is different than we are.

Now let us just think this through a minute. If Jesus is different than we are, if He did not even participate in the kind of temptations that we have, because of that difference, it would mean He was not tempted in every point like we are. But the Bible says that He was. (See Hebrews 4:14–16.) If He was not tempted in every point just like we are, if He did not have a nature like we have, He cannot understand us, so there is a gulf between Jesus Christ and us. How would you like to pray to somebody who could not understand you?

You need help. Who can help? There were some holy people who lived in the world who were just like you. We call them saints and they can speak to Jesus and talk to Him about your need. They can feel the way you feel. That is part of the reason for the development of the doctrine of the theology of the intercession of the saints. It is why people pray to saints. They know that the saints understand them, because they are alike.

They do not believe that Jesus understands, because He was different than they are. The intercession of saints is just the beginning. Christ is thereby removed far from human beings, far from the sinner. Sinners are afraid to even approach Christ. They think that they must approach somebody who is more like themselves. They would like to approach Mary. They think she would understand a little better, however, even Mary is not enough, because they believe that she was immaculate.

Becoming Like Jesus

There is another problem that comes in. If Jesus was completely different than we are, not only can He not understand us, but how could we ever be expected to become like He is, because His nature is different than ours.

A few select people will become like Him. We call them saints. What the great mass of mankind will have to do is to simply keep their sins confessed. There are hundreds of millions of sincere people who know nothing else about the Christian religion except that Jesus is different than they are. They can never become like Jesus and they can never overcome.

A Terrible Delusion

They do not understand the gospel. The gospel teaches, not only forgiveness of the guilt of sin, but also that you will overcome your sins. In fact, Scripture promises salvation only to those who overcome. (See Revelation 3:5.) No one else is promised salvation. (See John 8, 1 John 3, and Romans 8.)

But people do not know that. They believe that you can be saved in sin as long as you keep your sins confessed, so they go to confession every day, every week, and keep confessing their sins. These people do not expect to overcome their sins. They know that they are going to sin for the rest of their lives, but they think if they keep their sins confessed, then they will go to heaven.

It is a terrible, terrible delusion that has taken almost the whole Christian world captive, and I am sorry to tell you that there are Adventists today who have been taken captive by this delusion, too. They think if they just keep their sins confessed, they will go to heaven.

A Great Disappointment

Jesus addresses this theory in Matthew 7:21–23. These are Christians who believe that they are going to be saved. But they are not going to be saved, and the day of God is going to bring to them the most bitter disappointment. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’”

These people believe that they have received the Holy Spirit. They have been working miracles, speaking in different languages, prophesying in Christ’s name. These are the people who have participated in the great revival of antichrist at the end of the world, and they cannot believe that they are not saved. They say, You have to have made a mistake, Lord. But from lips that never make a mistake comes the following reply: “‘And then I will declare to them, “I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.”’ Verse 23.

The Lie of Antichrist

What is their problem? They are breaking God’s law. They thought that they could be saved in sin; this is the lie of the antichrist. 11 Thessalonians 2:9–12 says, “The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all powers, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie.”

The lie is that you can be saved in sin. That is the lie of antichrist. That is the philosophy of antichrist. That is the objective of antichrist. “That they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” Verse 12.

There was a time when Seventh-day Adventists did not believe the lie. Some time ago I looked over the notes of sermons that I first preached as a young minister, before we had such things as the new theology in the Adventist Church. I was surprised how clear the message was. If you wanted to be saved, you had to overcome sin. That is just the way it was. That is the way it still is, but we have been influenced by the lie, the teaching of antichrist that you can be saved in sin, just by keeping your sins confessed. We cannot be saved without overcoming sin!

A Terror to Evil-doers

Have you read about the early Christians in The Great Controversy, chapter two? It says that their doctrines were a terror to evil-doers. Is what you believe a terror to evil-doers? If it is not, then what you believe is not what the early church believed.

Seventh-day Adventists have been affected by antichrist. We have been affected by the lie. I am praying that, by the grace of God, I can help people remove the blinders from their eyes, so they can see the truth. The truth is that not one of us are going to be saved in sin. Not one! If there is any sin in our mind or in our character, that we have not overcome, we are not going through the pearly gates. It is just that simple.

People have heard the lie for so long that when they first hear that they cannot be saved in sin, they are shocked, they can hardly believe it! The lie of antichrist has gone all over the world. It has affected almost all Christian churches and even non-Christian churches, but it is still a lie. It is the lie of the antichrist power.

People say that nobody can be perfect. In other words, everybody is going to sin a little bit. Yes, almost all the people in the world are going to sin, but they are not going to heaven. The only people going to heaven are the people who quit sinning. And, oh, friend, do not believe it because I said so. Read your own Bible.

This is not an obscure Scriptural theory. Read John 8, Romans 6, Romans 8, Galatians 5, 1 John 3, the book of James, and Revelation 2, 3, 21 and 22. It is there! Scripture makes it very clear, that when Jesus comes again, He is going to have a people who are without spot or wrinkle, holy and without blemish. They are the only people He is going to save.

A Complete Change

Maybe someone is saying, There is always someone who is sinning. I guess I will just not be able to go to heaven then. No, you will not be able to go to heaven if you do not let the Lord work in your life so that there is a complete change. The Lord wants to save you. He has the power to save the most vile, degraded sinner. (See The Desire of Ages, 258.) Matthew 22 relates the story of a wedding for a king’s son. After the people who were first invited would not come, the king said, Go into the highways and byways and bring in all the people. That is happening right now.

When I was preaching the gospel in New Guinea in 1996, a lot of the church people did not accept it. Do you know what happened to the people who would not accept it? The Lord bypassed them and picked someone else. He picked the vile sinners, and they came and accepted the gospel. While I was there they had a baptism, and one of the persons baptized was the former leader of a drug gang. He found the gospel, or the gospel found him, he gave up his lucrative drug business and became a Seventh-day Adventist.

When we come right down to the end, there are going to be people on the inside of the city, who, in their past have been vile, degraded sinners, but they came to the Lord and said, Lord, please change me. Their biggest sin, they bring to the Lord and say, I am willing to give it up.

The Smallest Sin

We need to think as well about the other side of the coin, because most of us have probably never been the leader of a drug gang, the head of a house of prostitution, or have done some other horrible thing; but the smallest sin, that we are not willing to forsake, will keep us out of the Kingdom. The smallest sin! The sin that nobody knows about. The sin that you just enjoy. Perhaps you are a deacon, an elder, an evangelist, or some other church leader, and no one knows about this small sin. But the smallest sin that you will not forsake will keep you out of heaven, because God is going to have a people who are without spot or wrinkle.

You might be going to a Seventh-day Adventist Church and still have the lie of antichrist in your mind, because you do not realize that all sin must be given up, forsaken, and overcome. Jesus has promised to give you power to overcome. Do you believe that? Many people have told me that they could not overcome. Yes, you can! The Lord said that you can do it. Why do you not put God to the test, and say, Lord, here I am; I am going to give it everything that I have.

The Lord will not answer your prayers if you just give Him half of your heart, but if you make a total and complete surrender and bring your vile sin to Him, you will have victory!

Immediate Deliverance!

The God that we serve is powerful! Do not ask if it is His will. Ellen White says when you are asking for victory over sin, you do not need to ask whether it is God’s will, because it is His will to deliver us immediately. (See The Desire of Ages, 266.)

If there is sin in your life that you have never overcome; if you will come to the Lord today and say, Lord, I am willing to give up that sin now, today, the Lord will give you the power to give it up, the chance to be changed today!

If we are going to go to heaven, we are going to have to get serious. Ellen White wrote that when God sees that we are really serious, He will attract the heart to Himself as a magnet. (See Our High Calling, 337.) Do you want that to happen in your life?

God wants to do that for you, but unlike the antichrist, He never uses force. God will not operate in violation or your choice. Friend, are you going to escape the lie that you can be saved in sin? The reason people like the lie is because it is so attractive. 11 Thessalonians 2:12 says there is pleasure in unrighteousness.

If you are having pleasure in unrighteousness, you are lost. Do not fool yourself. The fact that you are in a Seventh-day Adventist Church is not going to save you at all when the plagues begin to fall.

I have met people, with a sin in their life, and when I urge them, encourage them, to allow the Lord to deliver them, they say, Well, the Lord knows how I feel. Yes, the Lord does know how you feel, but you are not going to heaven with those kinds of feelings, thoughts, and actions. It is not going to happen.

God Longs to Set Us Free

The Book says that you are not going through the pearly gates with sin. There are going to be a few people who say, I believe what God says. He has promised that He can deliver me from every sin; every darling sin He can take away from me, and I am willing to cooperate.

Do not fool yourself. Do not think, Oh, I know what the Bible says, but I can still divorce my wife and marry somebody else and go to heaven. Watch out! Read the Sermon on the Mount. (See Matthew 5.) Jesus did not promise salvation to anybody in that kind of a situation. Watch out! Do not commit the sin of presumption. Do not say, I know the Bible says this, but the Lord knows I have this habit that I cannot overcome and I just have to do it. Watch out!

God is powerful, and He wants to heal you and me. I do not know what the passion is in your life, that the devil has put in your heart and in your mind, that you cannot overcome. I do not know what your heredity or your past environment has been so that you have a certain problem in your life. I do not know, but God knows all about it. And God is waiting to set us free.

If we are going to be set free at all, we are going to be set free in this life, friends, because we are not going to heaven in chains to be set free there. If you want to be set free, bring your sin to the Lord. He is just waiting for you to ask.

To The Uttermost

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In the sight of God, is there a hopeless case in this world? There are five stories to which I would like to refer, which are found in the Word of God. They are true living experiences that Inspiration records for us.

The first story is about a young David, who went up against the giant, Goliath. The situation there was apparently hopeless. If a vote had been taken from the Philistines and the Israelites standing and watching what was about to happen, the vote would have been unanimous: Defeat for David. (See 1 Samuel 17.)

Second, is a story about Naaman, a man who had a hopeless, incurable disease—leprosy. He was in a situation that was seemingly hopeless. (See 2 Kings 5.)

The third story involves three young Hebrew men who were taken captive and, with a vast company of Babylonians, were told to bow down to an image which King Nebuchadnezzar had erected on the Plain of Dura. Everyone bowed down except the three young Hebrews. It was an apparently hopeless situation for those three young men. (See Daniel 3.)

The fourth story, is the experience of 13 men in a ship on the Sea of Galilee, in the midst of a storm. The ship was filling with water, and it was sinking. It appeared to be another hopeless situation. (See Luke 8.)

The last story is the experience of two men in a dungeon, chained to the wall at midnight. Another totally hopeless situation. (See Acts 16.)

God’s Lessons

God has three lessons to teach us from each of these experiences. Every situation, from the human standpoint, was apparently hopeless, but God intervened in each case, and He brought hope to the hopeless.

  1. God says, I can do the impossible for you. I am reminded what Gabriel said to Mary when he was talking to her about giving birth to the Son of God. He told her that there is nothing impossible with God. Not one thing. (See Luke 1:37.)
  2. In these five experiences, we see God’s hand. In every deliverance from man’s hopelessness, there is God. Whether that man has realized it or not, acknowledged it or not, it is only God who can turn hopelessness into hope. Man can do nothing apart from God in regard to such situations. Some people may call it coincidence, but where there is deliverance from hopelessness, there is always the providence of God!
  3. God wants us to remember that, through these physical experiences which He has left on record for us, He is able to give us deliverance in the spiritual, just as much as in the physical. By leaving these experiences on record, He seeks to encourage us with what He can do for us. Physical deliverance, in every case, was by the hand of God. He is also able to do that for us in our spiritual lives.

The Universal Dilemma

Man, universally, is in a hopeless situation. All men, on the face of this earth, face the same hopelessness that is revealed in this statement of inspiration: “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.” Isaiah 64:6.

This is the universal, hopeless dilemma that is common to every man and woman who comes into this world of sin. Even our righteousness is as filthy rags to God. Whoever we are, at one time or another, we have all faced it, or we are facing it now.

This hopeless dilemma that we find ourselves in spiritually, because of sin, is increased. Job refers to it in Job 14:4. “Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.” Our hopeless dilemma in sin is increased with the reality that we, in and of ourselves, can do nothing for ourselves about this situation. Not one human being has ever been able to make themself clean. It is totally hopeless!

The Most Hopeless Human Being

Even though we are all hopeless, there are degrees of hopelessness. Romans 7:18, 19 tells of an experience which reveals the greatest hopelessness that man can experience. Paul describes the man who is the most spiritually hopeless in this world today: “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: [Now here is a man who has found out what Isaiah 64:6 says about all men. There is nothing good in me.] for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.” “O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Verse 24.

The most hopeless individual on the face of the earth is the person who has become aware of their hopeless state and somehow senses that there is a remedy, but they do not know how to experience the solution. They have a will, but they are finding that the will is not sufficient to cleanse them from sin, from their dilemma, from their hopelessness in sin.

How Do I Rid Myself of Sin?

A person who recognizes that they have sin in their life, but they do not know how to get rid of the sin, is one of the most hopeless individuals on the face of the earth. Millions of human beings go about every day, every year, year in and year out, never even realizing their true condition before God. They never respond to God’s Spirit. But here is a person who does respond. They realize their wretched hopeless state, but they do not know how to remedy the problem. Oh, what hopelessness. God has an answer!

There was a time when my life looked like a ball of knotted up yarn in apparent total hopelessness. Some of us still have a life like this, and God is here to tell us that it is not hopeless. We find that we can do nothing of ourselves. It is impossible for us to escape from the pit of sin, in which we are sunken, by ourselves. “Our hearts are evil, and we can not change them.…Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless.” Steps to Christ, 18.

So not only the uneducated, but the educated as well are in this situation. Not only the untalented, but also the talented. Not only the uncultured, but the cultured. It does not matter inwhat strata of society we find ourselves, this is an apparently hopeless situation for all mankind. But God has the ultimate answer. It is found in Hebrews 7:25: “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.” Jesus lives right now; He exists right now, for you and for me. He will make intercession for us, if we will come to God through Him.

He is Able to Save to the Uttermost!

The word uttermost, has three meanings to the hopeless.

  1. Jesus Christ is able to save the most hopeless, to the uttermost. God has the ability to pick a man up out of the gutter and stand him on his feet. It is amazing what God is able to do in the life of a man whose heart opens toward Him.
  2. He is able to save us fully, completely from all sin. That is what uttermost means. God is not dealing with partial salvation. He is not dealing with an occasional experience of victory here and defeat there. God wants to give us an “uttermost” experience, a full deliverance from the hopelessness of sin.
  3. He is able to save us forever. Jesus wants to save us from sin, not only today, but forever. He is not only able to do that, He is willing.

“There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” Steps to Christ, 18. Our only help in this apparent, hopeless, spiritual dilemma in which we find ourselves, is in one Person only, one Being, and that is Jesus Christ. Is it any wonder that Satan, the enemy of Christ, the enemy of truth, will seek to malign His name before men?

An Oasis of Hope

There is only one place that we can go for help in our hopeless dilemma. Thank God there is a place, and there is a Person who can take care of the problem. Let us look at four distinct steps that a person, who finds themself in this hopeless, sinful condition must take to overcome with Jesus Christ. These steps must be taken, if we are going to have hope. It is like finding an oasis in the middle of the desert when you are dying of thirst. It seems like all is hopeless, then, all of a sudden, there is an artesian well in the midst of the dry, hot sand. God has that for us, if we choose to wake up and respond.

The first two steps are found in Romans 7:24:

We must first wake up to the realization of Paul, when he exclaims, “‘O wretched man that I am!” That is simple. We must realize that when God says we are sinners, when God says that we are wretched, we must choose to believe that and to respond. We choose to accept the light from heaven and see ourselves as God sees us. We must wake up and realize who we are and how hopeless is our situation.

The sad thing is, most human beings never get to step one. They never realize that they are hopeless. They realize that this world is a terrible place, and they walk through their whole life complaining, murmuring, and justifying themselves. But they never wake up to the reality of their true condition before God, their Creator, so they never seek Him. It is a wonderful thing to come to recognize your true need, your true condition.

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” Step two is that we seek deliverance. We are not satisfied with our condition. It is not only becoming aware of our condition, but also becoming dissatisfied enough with it to want help, to want to right the wrong that we see in ourselves. It is called determination.

Determination goes beyond good intentions. It goes beyond desires for relationship. It is determination to experience what we see in the light of God’s Word. We may be totally hopeless, but we know there is something else, and so we seek it. It is like the merchantman seeking for the goodly pearl.

The third step is the step that man takes from hopelessness to hope in Jesus Christ. Jesus says, “‘Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’” Matthew 11:28. I am going to give you rest from sin; I am going to give you a whole new experience; I am going to give you victory over sin.

Recognizing Our Need

There is only one place that we can go to exchange hopelessness for hope, and that is to Christ. We come to recognize our need; we determine that we are going to have a change, and then when we find out where we can go, we go!

When my gas tank is almost empty, I do not stop in front of the dentist’s office. I do not pull up to the Post Office. I pull up to a gas station, because I know that is where I can get what I need. The only place where we can get what we need, to get us out of hopelessness and into hope in our spiritual experience with sin, is Jesus Christ. We must go to Him, personally, individually. Jesus says, “Come unto Me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

John 6:37 says, “him that cometh to Me I will in no wise cast out.” Do you know that Jesus never turns down a case, no matter how hopeless it is? You come to Jesus, and He accepts you. That is a marvelous thing! You see, God stands behind His Word. These are not just empty, spoken words. Oh, no. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. (See Hebrews 13:8.) He stands behind His promise right now, this very moment in time.

Filled with Power

The fourth and final step is found in Matthew 11:29. Jesus says, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me.” Jesus says, Come to Me and I will relieve you of the burden of sin. And then He says, Take from Me. What does He want to give us? He wants us to carry a yoke. He wants us to serve Him. He empowers us to do that. That is what He is saying: “Take My yoke upon you.” Verse 29.

When He asks us to do something, He promises us the power to do it. Are you willing to do what God wants you to do? If you are not, you will not have power in your life. If you are, there will be power. It is as simple as that. In 1 John 3:7, John says, “little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous.”

If you and I are to be made righteous, we must do righteousness. That is what Jesus is saying when He says, Take My yoke. He is saying, I want to empower you to do My righteousness, to do what is right. You see, we will never be righteous without doing righteousness. God is calling us to do righteousness, not just be righteous. The Christian life is not one of passivity; it is one of action.

I Will Direct Your Path

Proverbs 3:5, 6, sums up all four of these steps. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” God wants us to trust Him fully and completely. He wants us to acknowledge Him at all times, which means respond to Him, obey Him, and He has promised to direct our paths.

He has promised to direct us out of our hopeless state into a state of hopefulness, into hope with Him. “When temptations assail you, when care and perplexity surround you, when, depressed and discouraged, you are ready to yield to despair, look to Jesus, and the darkness that encompasses you will be dispelled by the bright shining of His presence. When sin struggles for the mastery in your soul, and burdens the conscience, look to the Saviour.” The Ministry of Healing, 85.

When you need gas in your car, you go to a gas station. When you need hope in your hopeless life, you go to Jesus. It is as simple as that.

There is a true-life story in the Bible, which reveals these four steps. It is the story of a man who had been an invalid for 38 years. That is a long time to be in a state of hopelessness. It does not matter how long you have been in a hopeless condition, Jesus can still give you hope.

“And a certain man was there, which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been now a long time in that case, He saith unto him, ‘Wilt thou be made whole?’” John 5:5, 6.

Was it the desire of Jesus to make this man whole, to make him happy, to fill him with hope instead of with hopelessness? Oh, yes. That is the desire that Jesus has for you and me every day. He wants to take our hopelessness and give us hope; He wants to take our sickness and give us health; He wants to take our weakness and give us strength, and He is able to do that because He is able to save us to the uttermost.

“The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, ‘Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.’ And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same day was the Sabbath.” Verses 7, 8.

This man first realized his need. How could he not? He could not walk. Second, He determined that he wanted help. That is why he was there at the pool. Hopefully, somehow or other, he was going to be healed miraculously, if he could just get there first! And third, Jesus came along, and he trusted what Jesus said. Fourth, he obeyed what Jesus said, and he was made whole.

Acting on Faith Brings Results

It is as simple as that. Faith is not enough. Justification is not enough. God not only wants to forgive us, but He also wants to help us to walk in newness of life. It is only as we are able to walk in newness of life that we have hope for everlasting life, a blessed assurance in Him.

Mrs. White comments on this experience: “The poor sufferer was helpless; he had not used his limbs for thirty-eight years. Yet Jesus bade him, ‘Rise, take up thy bed, and walk.’ The sick man might have said, ‘Lord, if Thou wilt make me whole, I will obey Thy word.’ But, no, he believed Christ’s word, believed that he was made whole, and he made the effort at once; he willed to walk, and he did walk. He acted on the word of Christ, and God gave the power. He was made whole.” Steps to Christ, 50.

This experience defines true will power. It is our will linked with His power. That kind of power will enable us to move from hopelessness to hope.

Choosing Hope

There are three lessons that God wants us to learn from these experiences:

  1. God is able to save those who are the most hopeless. He wants us always to remember that. If you find yourself in that situation today, you can know that God is interested. His focus is on you, because He cares.
  2. He has the ability and the power to fully save us from all sin. We do not have to be burdened with guilt because of sin in our lives. We can be filled with peace as a result of His power working in us, enabling us to live righteously before Him, all the time.
  3. He wants to help us today, so that we might be with Him forever. He is able to save us evermore. Jesus said, “Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto Myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” John 14:1–3.

It is a full salvation that He is wanting for us, to take us from the most hopeless state into the most hopeful. The most hopeful state will be to someday see Jesus face to face, and walk into our Father’s house.

Do you want to be there? Do you choose to be there? Then choose to meet the four steps every day with Jesus Christ, to grow and receive the power that He wants to give to you. Choose to put your will with His power and be enabled to become everything He intended you to be as His created child.

Bible Study Guides – Power of God

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November 3-9, 2002

MEMORY VERSE: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Romans 1:16.

SUGGESTED READING: Fundamentals of Christian Education, 196–200; The Acts of the Apostles, 557–567.

INTRODUCTION: “There is no defect in God’s plan for the salvation of men. If the gospel is not to every soul the power of God unto salvation, it is not because the gospel is at fault, but because men are not practical believers, practical receivers of the grace and righteousness of Christ. . . . The professed believers do not take Christ as their personal Saviour, but follow Jesus a great way off. One reason for this lack of personal religion is that they have not been educated in these vital principles.” This +9+Day With God, 18.

1 How is sin defined in the Bible? 1 John 3:4; James 4:17.

NOTE: “It is the Creator of men, the Giver of the law, who declares that it is not His purpose to set aside its precepts. Everything in nature, from the mote in the sunbeam to the worlds on high, is under law. And upon obedience to these laws the order and harmony of the natural world depend. So there are great principles of righteousness to control the life of all intelligent beings, and upon conformity to these principles the well-being of the universe depends. Before this earth was called into being, God’s law existed. Angels are governed by its principles, and in order for earth to be in harmony with heaven, man also must obey the divine statutes.” Thoughts from the Mount of Blessing, 48.

2 Why do we struggle with sin, and how can we be victorious over it? Romans 7:14–24; John 8:34, 36.

NOTE: “Character building is the work, not of a day, nor of a year, but of a lifetime. The struggle for conquest over self, for holiness and heaven, is a lifelong struggle. Without continual effort and constant activity, there can be no advancement in the divine life, no attainment of the victor’s crown.” The Ministry of Healing, 452.

3 In seeking Christ’s strength, what should we realize? Hebrews 4:15, 16; 7:25; 12:2.

NOTE: “We have an all-powerful Redeemer. Christ came from heaven in the guise of humanity to live the principles of righteousness in this world. He was endowed with power to minister to all who would accept Him as their Redeemer, to succor the repentant ones who were convinced of the sinfulness of sin.” Selected Messages, Book 2, 397.

4 When we come to Christ, what happens? Ephesians 2:8; Romans 5:1, 2.

NOTE: “Abundant grace has been provided that the believing soul may be kept free from sin; for all heaven, with its limitless resources, has been placed at our command. We are to draw from the well of salvation. Christ is the end of law for righteousness to everyone who believeth. In ourselves we are sinners; but in Christ we are righteous. Having made us righteous through the imputed righteousness of Christ, God pronounces us just, and treats us as just. He looks upon us as His dear children. Christ works against the power of sin, and where sin abounded, grace much more abounds.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 394.

5 How do we benefit from the work Christ has done for us, when we accept Him as our personal Saviour? Romans 5:18, 19; 2 Corinthians 5:21.

NOTE: “Think of what Christ’s obedience means to us. It means that in His strength we, too, may obey. He came to this world to show us what God can do for us, and what we can do in co-operation with God. In human flesh He went into the wilderness to be tempted by the enemy. He knows what it is to hunger and thirst. He knows the weakness and the infirmities of the flesh. He was tempted in all points like as we are tempted, yet without sin.” Signs of the Times, June 14, 1905.

6 With our consent and cooperation, what work does Christ perform in us through the Holy Spirit? John 3:7, 8; 2 Corinthians 5:17; 7:1.

NOTE: “The old nature, born of blood and the will of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God. The old ways, the hereditary tendencies, the former habits, must be given up; for grace is not inherited. The new birth consists in having new motives, new tastes, new tendencies. Those who are begotten unto a new life by the Holy Spirit, have become partakers of the divine nature, and in all their habits and practices, they will give evidence of their relationship to Christ. When men who claim to be Christians retain all their natural defects of character and disposition, in what does their position differ from that of the worldling? They do not appreciate the truth as a sanctifier, a refiner. They have not been born again.” Review and Herald, April 12, 1892.

7 In what way does the process of sanctification involve daily choices on our part? Romans 8:1, 5, 13; Galatians 5:16; Ephesians 5:8–11.

NOTE: “The mind must be trained through daily tests to habits of fidelity, to a sense of the claims of right and duty above inclination and pleasure. Minds thus trained do not waver between right and wrong, as the reed trembles in the wind; but as soon as matters come before them, they discern at once that principle is involved, and they instinctively choose the right without long debating the matter. They are loyal because they have trained themselves to habits of faithfulness and truth.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 22.

8 How do justification and sanctification work together in our salvation? 1 John 1:9; Romans 6:1, 2, 7, 22. Compare 1 Corinthians 6:9–11; Colossians 3:8–10.

NOTE: “Justification means the saving of a soul from perdition, that he may obtain sanctification, and through sanctification, the life of heaven. Justification means that the conscience, purged from dead works, is placed where it can receive the blessings of sanctification (Manuscript 113, 1902).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 908.

9 To become holy, how must we cooperate with Christ? Colossians 1:21–23.

NOTE: “The work of gaining salvation is one of co-partnership, a joint operation. There is to be co-operation between God and the repentant sinner. This is necessary for the formation of right principles in the character. Man is to make earnest efforts to overcome that which hinders him from attaining to perfection. But he is wholly dependent upon God for success. Human effort of itself is not sufficient. Without the aid of divine power it avails nothing. God works and man works. Resistance of temptation must come from man, who must draw his power from God. On the one side there is infinite wisdom, compassion, and power; on the other, weakness, sinfulness, absolute helplessness.” The Acts of the Apostles, 482.

10 For what purpose do we receive power through the gospel? Romans 1:16; Ephesians 3:16–20.

NOTE: “Here are revealed the heights of attainment that we may reach through faith in the promises of our heavenly Father, when we fulfill His requirements. Through the merits of Christ we have access to the throne of Infinite Power. ‘He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?’ Romans 8:32. The Father gave His Spirit without measure to His Son, and we also may partake of its fullness.” The Great Controversy, 477.

11 What changes occur in our lives as we receive God’s grace? Titus 2:11–14; 3:5.

NOTE: “The grace of Christ is to control the temper and the voice. Its working will be seen in politeness and tender regard shown by brother for brother, in kind, encouraging words. An angel presence is in the home. The life breathes a sweet perfume, which ascends to God as holy incense. Love is manifested in kindness, gentleness, forbearance, and long-suffering.

“The countenance is changed. Christ abiding in the heart shines out in the faces of those who love Him and keep His commandments. Truth is written there. The sweet peace of heaven is revealed. There is expressed a habitual gentleness, a more than human love.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 102.

12 Upon what condition is receiving the power of God’s grace dependent? Luke 17:5, 6; Mark 11:24; Matthew 17:20.

NOTE: “There is no encouragement given for unbelief. The Lord manifests His grace and His power over and over again, and this should teach us that it is always profitable under all circumstances to cherish faith, to talk faith, to act faith. We are not to have our hearts and hands weakened by allowing the suggestions of suspicious minds to plant in our hearts the seeds of doubt and distrust [Hebrews 3:12 quoted] (Letter 97, 1898).” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 928.

13 What kind of faith do we need? Jude 20.

NOTE: “The power of Satanic agencies is great, and the Lord calls upon His people to strengthen one another, ‘building up yourselves on your most holy faith.’

“Instead of co-operating with Satan, let everyone learn what it means to co-operate with God. In these depressing times He has a work to be done that demands the firm courage and faith which will enable us to sustain one another. All need to stand shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart as laborers together with God. What might not be accomplished in and through the grace of God if the members of the church would stand together, to sustain His workers, to help with their prayers and their influence when discouragement presses in on every side! Then is the time to work as faithful stewards.” Testimonies, vol. 7, 184, 185.

Bible Study Guides – A Purposeful Plan

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October 27-November 2, 2002

MEMORY VERSE: “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10.

SUGGESTED READING: Thoughts From the Mount of Blessing, 149–152; “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 926, 927.

INTRODUCTION: “Christ has undertaken the work of saving all who trust in Him for salvation. He sees the wrongs that need to be righted, the evils that need to be repressed. He came to seek and save that which was lost. ‘Him that cometh to me,’ He says, ‘I will in no wise cast out’ (John 6:37).” Selected Messages, Book 1, 178.

1 The gospel call is given to us for what purpose? Mark 2:17.

NOTE: “Many of you feel no need of a Saviour. You are self-sufficient, self-exalted. Said Christ: ‘I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ The blood of Christ will avail for none but those who feel their need of its cleansing power.” Testimonies, vol. 5, 219.

2 What does the gift of salvation through Christ mean for each one of us? Matthew 1:21; Revelation 1:5, last part.

NOTE: “God has spoken, and He means that man shall obey. He does not inquire if it is convenient for him to do so. The Lord of life and glory did not consult His convenience or pleasure when He left His station of high command to become a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief, accepting ignominy and death in order to deliver man from the consequence of his disobedience. Jesus died, not to save man in his sins, but from his sins. Man is to leave the error of his ways, to follow the example of Christ, to take up his cross and follow Him, denying self, and obeying God at any cost.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 250, 251.

3 In the first step of our restoration, what does God offer us, and on what condition? Isaiah 55:7.

NOTE: “We must learn in the school of Christ. Nothing but His righteousness can entitle us to one of the blessings of the covenant of grace. We have long desired and tried to obtain these blessings, but have not received them because we have cherished the idea that we could do something to make ourselves worthy of them. We have not looked away from ourselves, believing that Jesus is a living Saviour. We must not think that our own grace and merits will save us; the grace of Christ is our only hope of salvation. . . . [Isaiah 55:7 quoted.] We must believe the naked promise, and not accept feeling for faith. When we trust God fully, when we rely upon the merits of Jesus as a sin-pardoning Saviour, we shall receive all the help that we can desire.

“We look to self, as though we had power to save ourselves; but Jesus died for us because we are helpless to do this. In Him is our hope, our justification, our righteousness.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 351.

4 What does God do for our salvation, in addition to forgiving us? 1 John 1:9.

NOTE: “We must have a knowledge of ourselves, a knowledge that will result in contrition, before we can find pardon and peace. . . . It is only he who knows himself to be a sinner that Christ can save. . . . We must know our real condition, or we shall not feel our need of Christ’s help. We must understand our danger, or we shall not flee to the refuge. We must feel the pain of our wounds, or we should not desire healing.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 158.

5 What goal is placed before us, and what is our responsibility in obtaining that goal? Matthew 5:48; John 5:14; 8:11.

NOTE: “The Lord requires perfection from His redeemed family. He calls for perfection in character-building.” Signs of the Times, August 23, 1899.

“It is by following in the path of obedience in simple faith that the character obtains perfection. . . . Christ has promised us sufficient power to reach this high standard.” Manuscript Releases, vol. 14, 20.

“Abstain from all evil. Common sins, however insignificant they may be regarded, will impair your moral sense, and extinguish the inward impression of the Spirit of God.” Review and Herald, December 8, 1891.

6 How did Paul describe the deliverance wrought within us when we accept Christ as our Saviour? Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 2:15.

NOTE: “In freeing our souls from the bondage of sin, God has wrought for us a deliverance greater than that of the Hebrews at the Red Sea. Like the Hebrew host, we should praise the Lord with heart and soul and voice for His ‘wonderful works to the children of men.’ Those who dwell upon God’s great mercies, and are not unmindful of His lesser gifts, will put on the girdle of gladness and make melody in their hearts to the Lord. The daily blessings that we receive from the hand of God, and above all else the death of Jesus to bring happiness and heaven within our reach, should be a theme for constant gratitude. . . .” Conflict and Courage, 93.

7 How does Christ make us free from the penalty of the law, under which we are condemned? Romans 6:14–18.

NOTE: “It is the sophistry of Satan that the death of Christ brought in grace to take the place of the law. The death of Jesus did not change, or annul, or lessen in the slightest degree, the law of ten commandments. That precious grace offered to men through a Saviour’s blood, establishes the law of God. Since the fall of man, God’s moral government and His grace are inseparable. They go hand in hand through all dispensations. ‘Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.’ Psalm 85:10. . . .

“The influence of a gospel hope will not lead the sinner to look upon the salvation of Christ as a matter of free grace, while he continues to live in transgression of the law of God. . . . He will reform his ways, become loyal to God through the strength obtained from his Saviour, and lead a new and purer life.” The Faith I Live By, 89.

8 In what way does faith in the gospel relate to the law of God? Romans 3:31.

NOTE: “The righteousness of Christ must be accepted as a free gift by us who are all undeserving. No thread of legality is of any value in the salvation of the soul; for we are saved by grace, through the subduing love of Christ, and the heart is made a willing sacrifice. By keeping the love of God in the heart, the love of the world is kept out, and we become built up in the most holy faith. Christ is the author and finisher of our faith; and when we yield to His hand, we shall steadily grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour. We shall make progress until we reach the full stature of men and women in Christ.

“Faith works by love, and purifies the soul, expelling the love of sin that leads to rebellion against, and transgression of, the law of God. This true love in the heart always leads its possessor into harmony with the commandments of God; for through the agency of the Holy Spirit, the character is transformed, and the mind and will of the human agent are brought into perfect conformity to the divine will, and this is conformity to the divine standard of righteousness.” Youth’s Instructor, February 17, 1898.

9 What warning is given to us about breaking God’s law? Romans 2:23–27; 1 Timothy 1:8–10.

NOTE: “The law of God is the mirror to show man the defects in his character. But it is not pleasant to those who take pleasure in unrighteousness to see their moral deformity. They do not prize this faithful mirror, because it reveals to them their sins. Therefore, instead of instituting a war against their carnal minds, they war against the true and faithful mirror, given them by Jehovah for the very purpose that they may not be deceived, but that they may have revealed to them the defects in their character.” Review and Herald, March 8, 1870.

10 Through sin, of what do we fall short? Romans 3:23.

NOTE: “Many are deceived concerning the condition of their hearts. They do not realize that the natural heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked. They wrap themselves about with their own righteousness, and are satisfied in reaching their own human standard of character; but how fatally they fail when they do not reach the divine standard, and of themselves they cannot meet the requirements of God.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 320, 321.

11 How may this loss be restored to us through the gospel? 2 Corinthians 3:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.

NOTE: “God is clothed with power; He is able to take those who are dead in trespasses and sins, and by the operation of the Spirit which raised Jesus from the dead, transform the human character, bringing back to the soul the lost image of God. Those who believe in Jesus Christ are changed from being rebels against the law of God into obedient servants and subjects of His kingdom. They are born again, regenerated, sanctified through the truth.” Fundamentals of Christian Education, 332.

12 What enables us to resist the temptations of our carnal nature? Colossians 1:10, 11; Ephesians 3:16, 20.

NOTE: “When temptations and trials rush in upon us, let us go to God and agonize with Him in prayer. He will not turn us away empty, but will give us grace and strength to overcome, and to break the power of the enemy. Oh, that all could see these things in their true light and endure hardness as good soldiers of Jesus! Then would Israel move forward, strong in God, and in the power of His might.” Early Writings, 46.

13 As we meet the conditions and experience the victory of overcoming sin, what promise will be fulfilled in us? Romans 8:14–17.

NOTE: “One of the lessons that we are to learn in the school of Christ is that the Lord’s love for us is far greater than that of our earthly parents. We are to have unquestioning faith and perfect confidence in Him. [Romans 8:16, 17 quoted.]

“May the Lord help you, as a diligent student in the school of Christ, to learn to lay your burdens on Jesus. And if you are free in His love, you will look above and away from these annoying trials. Think of what Jesus has endured for you, and never forget that it is part of the legacy that we have received as Christians, to be partakers with Him of His sufferings, that we may be partakers with Him of His glory.” Testimonies, vol. 8, 126.

Before Honor is Humility

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Revelation 12 tells us that Satan is very aware of the times in which we live. This has caused him to put forth more effort to deceive as many as possible, even the very elect of God. But Satan is not the only one at work today. God is at work today, also, because He knows, better than any one of us, the time in which we are living. God has a burden for humanity. He is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance” that they might be saved. 11 Peter 3:9. The question I would ask you is this, Is God working in your life?

John 15 gives an illustration of Jesus’ relationship with His people—the abiding of the branch in the vine. He tells us there of the experience of either being fruit bearers or of not being fruit bearers. Someday He is going to have to burn those branches that have no fruit, but interestingly enough, those who are bringing forth fruit are going to receive the pruning knife, the close work of God upon their hearts. Is God working on your heart? It is a close work, and it will become so close that it will hurt. But do not draw back, because He that holds the knife loves you. (See Hebrews 12:6.)

Run the Race

Let us look at some thoughts from God’s Word that will lift us up, knowing and believing that God is and that He is all that He says He is. (See Hebrews 11:6.) Paul said, “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they [do it] to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air.” 1 Corinthians 9:24.

Did Paul realize that the Christian life was going to involve some effort, some discipline? Oh, yes, he did. He portrayed the Christian life as a race. Thinking of this takes me back to my high school days when I ran track. I ran in those races to be the first across the finish line. I never finished first, but I did finish second. Is second good enough in this race that Paul is talking about? No, we must be winners in this race, if we are to win the crown.

Essentials for Victory

There are definite attributes essential for victory, whether we are running a physical race in this world or running the race of salvation. One of the most important attributes is given in The Desire of Ages, 437: “It was not enough [essential but not enough] for the disciples of Jesus to be instructed as to the nature of His kingdom. What they needed was a change of heart that would bring them into harmony with its principles.” What principles? The principles of His kingdom. They needed a heart that would be in harmony with the nature of His kingdom.

You and I have been called in these last days to give a warning message to the world, very similar to that given in the days of Noah. We find that message in Revelation 14:6–12. It is a message full of truth, but there is more to truth than the truth! Jesus said to the woman at the well, “For the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.” John 4:23. Friends, it matters how we tell the truth and in what spirit we tell it. There must be a balance between the truth and the spirit. For example, it is not enough to know merely that the Sabbath is Saturday in the weekly cycle and that it is God’s day. God wants us to worship on this day in the spirit of the Sabbath.

We often take for granted the knowledge that God has given us of Himself and of heaven through His Word. If I asked you the question, Who does God dwell with in heaven, and you did not know the answer, you would be very curious, would you not? You would want to know, especially if you had begun a race to eventually be in heaven. We have just noted that the truth is not enough; we must have the spirit of the truth.

By the Knife

There are 12 gates to God’s city. Someday we, by His grace, will have the privilege to walk through one of those 12 gates. Have we stopped to think about what is in that city and what kind of people we will have to be to walk through one of those 12 gates? God makes it very clear who will dwell with Him: “For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name [is] Holy; I dwell in the high and holy [place], with him also [that is] of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.” Isaiah 57:15. Do you know that God is in the business, in regard to salvation, of giving you and me a spirit like that of heaven? That spirit is a spirit of humility or humbleness of mind. But it does not come as a result of just naturally possessing it, because we come into this world totally on the opposite end of that spirit of humility and humbleness. It comes only by the knife, as we allow God’s Word to do His work upon us, to cut out the things that stand between Him and us.

For three and one-half years the disciples were constantly focused on one object. They had a preoccupation with the question of who would be first in Christ’s kingdom. “At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 18:1–3. The disciples wanted to know who would be the greatest, and if He gave them the answer, then that was the goal they would attempt to achieve, because they had decided to run the race. You will not be able to walk through one of those 12 gates into My Father’s house, Jesus told them, if you do not become as a little child in spirit. What does that involve? It involves change. Some of the changes we make in this world are totally painless. When my wife and I left Texas and moved to Kansas, it was not too much of a pain. We moved our bank account from one bank to another, and that was not too much of a pain. But there are some changes that involve pain, and the change identified in these verses is one of them.

Ellen White comments on this verse: “They did not understand the nature of Christ’s kingdom, and this ignorance was the apparent cause of their contention. But, the real cause lay deeper. By explaining the nature of the kingdom, Christ might for the time have quelled their strife; but this would not have touched the underlying cause. Even after they had received the fullest knowledge [let us not be deceived by a mere knowledge of truth; it will not save us], any question of precedence might have renewed the trouble.” The Desire of Ages, 435. The knife had to go farther in to cut out the obstacle that was in the way, so they would not only be able to perceive the true nature of His kingdom but also to receive the spirit by which they could enter that kingdom.

Most Precious Attribute

God lays out a principle for us in Proverbs 15:33: “The fear of the Lord [is] the instruction of wisdom; and before honour [is] humility.” This is one of the most precious attributes of God, and it becomes more precious as we understand the power and the wisdom that our God has. This humility is the most marvelous attribute in the character of God. Before honor is humility, and before the crown is the cross.

The apostle Paul has told us that the things God has left on record in His Word are for our learning.

“For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.” Romans 15:4. We can have hope, because God is well able to take a proud heart and humble it, to give to us the very spirit of humility that is in harmony with heaven’s spirit. He can do that.

I am reminded of the statement that Gabriel said to Mary regarding the miracle Child that was to be born. He said, “With God, nothing is impossible.” (Luke 1:37.) Here is a being who stands in the very presence of God; he is right next to the Father today; he knows Him, and he says, “Nothing is impossible with the God Who created us!”

Examples for us

We have the record of Moses. He was not known as a humble man! He was a great general; he was very arrogant, proud, and aware of the abilities that God had given him. But there came a time in his life when God called him, and he fled into the wilderness. He spent 40 years in the wilderness before God called him again. What happened to this man’s proud, arrogant heart in 40 years? The Pen of Inspiration tells us, “Shut in by the bulwarks of the mountains, Moses was alone with God. Moses was shut in with God. The magnificent temples of Egypt no longer impressed his mind with their superstition and falsehood. In the solemn grandeur of the everlasting hills he beheld the majesty of the Most High, and in contrast realized how powerless and insignificant were the gods of Egypt. Everywhere the Creator’s name was written. Moses seemed to stand in His presence and to be over-shadowed by His power. Here his pride and self-sufficiency were swept away.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 248. How was he humbled? As he viewed God and the greatness of God, he took on the spirit of humility.

Another character that is recorded in Scripture had the tremendous privilege of physically walking with Jesus Christ for three and one-half years. His name was John, and he had a brother, James. God tells us that they had a nickname; they were known as “The Sons of Thunder.” (See Mark 3:17.) That does not sound too humble, does it? They were not; they were just like us. But something took place in the life of John that caused him to become humble-minded like his Saviour and Lord. “During the years of his [John’s] close association with Christ, he was often warned and cautioned by the Saviour, and these reproofs he accepted. As the character of the Divine One was manifested to him, John saw his own deficiencies, and was humbled by the revelation. Day by day in contrast with his own violent spirit, he beheld the tenderness and forbearance of Jesus, and heard His lessons of humility and patience. Day by day his heart was drawn out to Christ, until he lost sight of self in love for his Master.” The Acts of the Apostles, 557. Accepting reproof and correction is one of the ways we are to receive humility. Before pride is swept away, before self is laid down, we must see Someone greater that we admire and desire to be like.

Saul of Tarsus was another person who was filled with pride. How was he brought to the point of being humbled in spirit? “As Saul yielded himself fully to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit, he saw the mistakes of his life and recognized the far-reaching claims of the law of God. He who had been a proud Pharisee, confident that he was justified by his good works, now bowed before God with the humility and simplicity of a little child, confessing his own unworthiness and pleading the merits of a crucified and risen Saviour.” Ibid., 119. Receiving humility of spirit involves acknowledging our deficiencies and our mistakes.

Effort Required

What the gospel of Jesus Christ did for these men, it can do for us in this day. It can change us; it can help us run the race and win the crown. But as you read about the lives of these men, you will find that their humility did not come without effort. These men were changed, not by a theory, but by a Person. There is a power beyond what you and I can see, and He is very real.

I have decided and determined that I, by the grace of God, am going to walk through one of those 12 gates someday. I am going to be there, and I want you to be there, but there is only one way we are going to be there. “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps.” 1 Peter 2:21.

One Spirit; One Truth

Jesus was not merely our substitute. The majority of the Christian world is deceived regarding this, because they believe that a mere acknowledgement and confessing of sin is sufficient in and of itself for salvation. That is not true! Jesus is not only our substitute at Calvary; He is our example in life. He not only paid the penalty for our sins, but He wants to provide us with power to overcome sin. He was tempted in all points, yet without sin. (See Hebrews 4:15.) He is our example. He is the One who changed Moses’ heart; He is the One that changed John’s heart; He is the One who did the work on Paul’s heart. Jesus Christ lives today in the Most Holy Place. He knows you, and He wants to change your heart. He wants to bring your spirit into harmony with His truth, that they will be one spirit and one truth.

Paul gives us counsel in this matter: “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God.” Philippians 2:5, 6. There was a being in heaven one time who thought it was sufficient to grasp God’s power. Ellen White wrote: “While Lucifer counted it a thing to be grasped to be equal with God, Christ, the Exalted One, ‘made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.’ Philippians 2:7, 8. Now the cross was just before Him; and His own disciples were so filled with self-seeking—the very principle of Satan’s kingdom—that they could not enter into sympathy with their Lord, or even understand Him as He spoke of His humiliation for them.” The Desire of Ages, 436. To enter into an understanding of the spiritual significance of those truths that God wants us to proclaim to the world, we must have a spirit by which we receive from Him understanding of those truths. Humility, a humbleness of mind, a willingness to be taught, corrected, instructed, and reproved if necessary, is the very means by which God is going to give us the ability to understand His Word and His truth.

Time of Laodicea

In the history of this world, we are at the end of time, but where are we in the race for the crown? In Revelation, a sad, sad condition is brought to view. You and I form a part of that period called Laodicea, the church at the end of earth’s history. In Revelation 3:20, Jesus said, in regard to Laodicea, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” These are the people who have been given the special truths with which to warn the world, but there is an obstacle that stands in their way. What is it? “Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing . . . .” Revelation 3:17. What spirit is that? That is the spirit of arrogance toward God. They feel satisfied with just having a Bible, if I may illustrate it as that. They feel comfortable—”I have my Bible, and I take it with me to church once a week. I feel comfortable with that.” God tells us that there is going to be, in these days of which we are talking, a form of godliness that denies the power. (See 11 Timothy 3:5.) What are we denying when we deny the power? We are denying the very means by which God wants to give to us a spirit that He will be able to take safely to heaven someday, and that spirit is the spirit of humility. Laodicea has pride standing in the way. Pride, pride of opinion, is the greatest obstacle to humility, and we all come into this world bent in that direction. There is only one Being in the entire universe Who can bend us back straight, and He has done it for many people.

He is willing to help us. Christ wants to give to us a spirit of humility, a spirit of brotherly love one to another, wherein we are not striving against each other but working together. With this spirit of humility, we are not wondering who has the greatest work and who does not, but we are doing the work God has given us to do.

Who Will Give the Loud Cry?

We are living at the last days, and Jesus said He was going to cut the work short. (See Romans 9:28.) Who is God going to use to give the Loud Cry in the last days? Is He going to use us? “Thus the message of the third angel will be proclaimed. As the time comes for it to be given with greatest power, the Lord will work through humble instruments, leading the minds of those who consecrate themselves to His service. The laborers will be qualified rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the training of literary institutions.” The Great Controversy, 606.

I do not want you to misunderstand what I am saying. I am not devaluating truth, but truth involves far more than the mere doctrine. If we are truly His people, we shall carry His message with His spirit. We will be humble instruments, used by Him to give a most marvelous message to the world. “Men of faith and prayer will be constrained to go forth with holy zeal, declaring the words which God gives them. The sins of Babylon will be laid open. The fearful results of enforcing the observances of the church by civil authority, the inroads of spiritualism, the stealthy but rapid progress of the papal power—all will be unmasked [by a humble instrument]. By these solemn warnings the people will be stirred.” Ibid.

We Can Win!

The gates to the city in heaven are going to open someday, all 12 of them. Who will enter? “That which even the greatest and wisest can not earn, the weakest and most humble may receive.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 404. We have the potential, through His grace, to win the race, to enter those gates. We can win! Satan wants to tell us just the opposite, but we can quell his suggestions and his temptations with the Word of God.

Do you feel weak and inferior? We should not be comparing ourselves with one another in the gifts that God has given, but we need to have a spirit where we can appreciate the gifts that God has given others—that is the spirit of humility. Heaven’s golden gates open not to the self-exalted, to the proud in spirit, but the everlasting portals will open wide to the trembling touch of a little child.

Jesus our Example

Jesus is our tremendous example. “It shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minister; And whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant: Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” Matthew 20:26–28.

I believe one of the most marvelous attributes and characteristics of our God is humility. In my own personal experience I see a God who is so great, so awesome, and so powerful, who is able to do anything, yet He is humble enough to wash my feet. That contrast makes the attribute of humility stand out. If we are not humbled by that contrast, we will never, ever be humbled. This is the King of kings. He is equal with the Father. He took our flesh and came into this world 2,000 years ago to save us from pride and from every other sin that would seek to keep us from Him. He was a servant, yet He was and is a King. To the proud heart and mind, that is a contradiction, but not in heaven. Jesus, the Father, and the Spirit dwell with beings who are of a humble and contrite spirit. I stand amazed at the humility of our Creator!

By His Grace

We are going to win the race, by His grace, if we allow Him to do the cutting work to cut out all obstacles. What is the key obstacle? It is pride; it is striving to be number one; it is striving to be seen of men. Jesus portrayed a character totally opposite from that. “Blessed [are] those servants, whom the lord when he cometh shall find watching: verily I say unto you, that he shall gird himself, and make them to sit down to meat, and will come forth and serve them.” Luke 12:37. Everyone who walks through those 12 gates is going to be a servant. They will have come to be a servant on this earth, to experience the humility of Christ and serve others instead of themselves.

Hebrews 13:8 says that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever—He never changes. When we get to heaven, we are going to find the Being that we have read about, the One whom we became like, and He is going to serve us! The God of heaven is going to gird Himself, and He is going to wait upon each one of the redeemed. I want to be there to say “Thank you” to His face, how about you? We can have courage, because God has made provision, and He has a willingness, far above and beyond what we can understand, to do the needed work in our hearts. He wants to do that, and He is able, but time is running out. We are told in Revelation 22 that there is coming a time when God is going to say, He that is humble, let him be humble still; and He that is proud, let him be proud still. It is over; it is done! (See Revelation 22:11.) Today is the day of salvation. Today, let Him cut away the obstacle; let Him have it; it is not worth losing the race. Be satisfied with what He has given you and with what He has promised to do for you. Let us determine to exchange our pride for His humility, that we may have a place with the humble and contrite ones that will make up His eternal kingdom! What do you say?

Bible Study Guides – Book of Joshua – Victory at Jericho

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January 19, 2020 – January 25, 2020

Key Text

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell down, after they were compassed about seven days” (Hebrews 11:30).

Study Help: Testimonies, vol. 4, 159–164.

Introduction

“Christ and angels attended the circuit of the ark around Jericho, and finally cast down the massive walls of the city, and delivered Jericho into the hands of Israel.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 102.

Sunday

AN AWESOME ENCOUNTER

  • While Joshua was near Jericho, meditating and praying, whom did he see, and what question did he ask? Joshua 5:13.

Note: “As Joshua withdrew from the armies of Israel to meditate and pray for God’s special presence to attend him, he saw a Man of lofty stature, clad in warlike garments, with a drawn sword in His hand. Joshua did not recognize Him as one of the warriors of Israel, and yet He had no appearance of being an enemy.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 159.

  • Who was the warrior of lofty stature and commanding presence that stood before Joshua? What instructions were given? Joshua 5:14, 15.

Note: “[Joshua 5:13–15 quoted.]

“This was no common angel. It was the Lord Jesus Christ, He who had conducted the Hebrews through the wilderness, enshrouded in the pillar of fire by night, and a pillar of cloud by day. The place was made sacred by His presence, therefore Joshua was commanded to put off his shoes.” Spiritual Gifts, vol. 4a, 61.

Monday

THE TIME IS RIPE

  • What are we told about Jericho and why its gates were kept shut? What assurance did God give to Joshua? Joshua 6:1, 2.

Note: “One of the strongest fortresses in the land—the large and wealthy city of Jericho—lay just before them [the Israelites]. … On the border of a fertile plain abounding with the rich and varied productions of the tropics, its palaces and temples the abode of luxury and vice, this proud city, behind its massive battlements, offered defiance to the God of Israel. Jericho was one of the principal seats of idol worship, being especially devoted to Ashtaroth, the goddess of the moon. Here centered all that was vilest and most degrading in the religion of the Canaanites. The people of Israel, in whose minds were fresh the fearful results of their sin at Beth-peor, could look upon this heathen city only with disgust and horror.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 487.

  • Explain the instructions God gave through Joshua for the overthrow of the city. Joshua 6:3–8. How did united discipline boost the faith of all?

Note: “The very plan of continuing this ceremony through so long a time prior to the final overthrow of the walls afforded opportunity for the increase of faith among the Israelites.

“They were to become thoroughly impressed with the idea that their strength was not in the wisdom of man, nor in his might, but only in the God of their salvation. They were thus to become accustomed to putting themselves out of the question and relying wholly upon their divine Leader.

“Would those who today profess to be God’s people conduct themselves thus under similar circumstances? Doubtless many would wish to follow out their own plans and would suggest other ways and means of accomplishing the desired end. They would be loath to submit to so simple an arrangement and one that reflected upon themselves no glory save the merit of obedience. They would also question the possibility of a mighty city being conquered in that manner. But the law of duty is supreme. It should hold sway over human reason. Faith is the living power that presses through every barrier, overrides all obstacles, and plants its banner in the heart of the enemy’s camp.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 163.

Tuesday

THE MYSTERIOUS DISPLAY

  • What did Israel do for the first six days in their compass of Jericho? Joshua 6:9–14. How did the city react to the mysterious display?

Note: “In obedience to the divine command Joshua marshaled the armies of Israel. No assault was to be made. They were simply to make the circuit of the city, bearing the ark of God and blowing upon trumpets. First came the warriors, a body of chosen men, not now to conquer by their own skill and prowess, but by obedience to the directions given them from God. Seven priests with trumpets followed. Then the ark of God, surrounded by a halo of divine glory, was borne by priests clad in the dress denoting their sacred office. The army of Israel followed, each tribe under its standard. Such was the procession that compassed the doomed city. No sound was heard but the tread of that mighty host and the solemn peal of the trumpets, echoing among the hills and resounding through the streets of Jericho. The circuit completed, the army returned in silence to their tents, and the ark was restored to its place in the tabernacle.

“With wonder and alarm the watchmen of the city marked every move, and reported to those in authority. They knew not the meaning of all this display; but when they beheld that mighty host marching around their city once each day, with the sacred ark and the attendant priests, the mystery of the scene struck terror to the hearts of priest and people. Again they would inspect their strong defenses, feeling certain they could successfully resist the most powerful attack. Many ridiculed the thought that any harm could come to them through these singular demonstrations. Others were awed as they beheld the procession that each day wound about the city.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 488.

  • What happened on the seventh day? Joshua 6:15, 16, 20; Hebrews 11:30.

Note: “How easily the armies of heaven brought down the walls that had seemed so formidable to the spies who brought the false report! The word of God was the only weapon used. … The work was left to the Almighty.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 161.

Wednesday

THE EXTREME DOOM—AND ITS CAUSE

  • What did God command about Jericho, its inhabitants, and its goods? How was Joshua’s curse in Joshua 6:26 fulfilled? Joshua 6:17–19, 24, 26; 1 Kings 16:34.

Note: “The Israelites had not gained the victory by their own power; the conquest had been wholly the Lord’s; and as the first fruits of the land, the city, with all that it contained, was to be devoted as a sacrifice to God. It was to be impressed upon Israel that in the conquest of Canaan they were not to fight for themselves, but simply as instruments to execute the will of God; not to seek for riches or self-exaltation, but the glory of Jehovah their King. Before the capture the command had been given, [Joshua 6:17, 18 quoted].

“All the inhabitants of the city, with every living thing that it contained … were put to the sword. … The city itself was burned; its palaces and temples, its magnificent dwellings with all their luxurious appointments, the rich draperies and the costly garments, were given to the flames. … The very site of the city was accursed; Jericho was never to be rebuilt as a stronghold; judgments were threatened upon anyone who should presume to restore the walls that divine power had cast down.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 491, 492.

  • Why did God pronounce such doom upon Jericho? Deuteronomy 7:2–10; 20:16–18.

Note: “[Deuteronomy 7:2; 20:16 quoted.] To many these commands seem to be contrary to the spirit of love and mercy enjoined in other portions of the Bible, but they were in truth the dictates of infinite wisdom and goodness. God was about to establish Israel in Canaan, to develop among them a nation and government that should be a manifestation of His kingdom upon the earth. They were not only to be inheritors of the true religion, but to disseminate its principles throughout the world. The Canaanites had abandoned themselves to the foulest and most debasing heathenism, and it was necessary that the land should be cleared of what would so surely prevent the fulfillment of God’s gracious purposes.

“The inhabitants of Canaan had been granted ample opportunity for repentance.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 492.

Thursday

GOD KNOWS BEST

  • What are we to learn from the conquest of Jericho? Romans 15:4.

Note: “As a people we lack faith. In these days few would follow the directions given through God’s chosen servant as obediently as did the armies of Israel at the taking of Jericho. The Captain of the Lord’s host did not reveal Himself to all the congregation. He communicated only with Joshua, who related the story of this interview to the Hebrews. It rested with them to believe or to doubt the words of Joshua, to follow the commands given by him in the name of the Captain of the Lord’s host, or to rebel against his directions and deny his authority. They could not see the host of angels, marshaled by the Son of God, who led their van; and they might have reasoned: ‘What unmeaning movements are these, and how ridiculous the performance of marching daily around the walls of the city, blowing trumpets of ram’s horns meanwhile! This can have no effect upon those strong towering fortifications.’ …

“He [God] will help His believing children in every emergency if they will place their entire confidence in Him and implicitly obey Him. …

“God works mightily for a faithful people who obey His word without questioning or doubt. The Majesty of heaven, with His army of angels, leveled the walls of Jericho without human aid. The armed warriors of Israel had no cause to glory in their achievements. All was done through the power of God. Let the people give up self and the desire to work after their own plans, let them humbly submit to the divine will, and God will revive their strength and bring freedom and victory to His children.” Testimonies, vol. 4, 162–164. [Emphasis author’s.]

Friday

PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

1     How was Joshua strengthened in advance to carry out a specific strategy?

2    If Jericho had not been destroyed, how might the rest of history been affected?

3    Explain the mysterious way in which God won the battle of Jericho.

4    Why did Israel need to burn everything and give the metals to the treasury?

5    What might be preventing me from experiencing the success God can give?

 

© 2018, Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia 24019-5048, U.S.A.

Bible Study Guides – Conversion

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November 8, 2003 – November 14, 2003

Memory Verse

“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us [our] sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9.

Suggested Reading: Steps to Christ, 49–55.

Introduction

“None of the apostles and prophets ever claimed to be without sin. Men who have lived the nearest to God, men who would sacrifice life itself rather than knowingly commit a wrong act, men whom God has honored with divine light and power, have confessed the sinfulness of their nature. They have put no confidence in the flesh, have claimed no righteousness of their own, but have trusted wholly in the righteousness of Christ.

“So will it be with all who behold Christ. The nearer we come to Jesus, and the more clearly we discern the purity of His character, the more clearly shall we see the exceeding sinfulness of sin, and the less shall we feel like exalting ourselves. There will be a continual reaching out of the soul after God, a continual, earnest, heartbreaking confession of sin and humbling of the heart before Him. At every advance step in our Christian experience our repentance will deepen.” The Acts of the Apostles, 561.

1 What did Jesus teach concerning the importance of conversion? Matthew 18:2, 3.

note: “It is impossible for us, of ourselves, to escape from the pit of sin in which we are sunken. Our hearts are evil, and we cannot change them. . . . Education, culture, the exercise of the will, human effort, all have their proper sphere, but here they are powerless. They may produce an outward correctness of behavior, but they cannot change the heart; they cannot purify the springs of life. There must be a power working from within, a new life from above, before men can be changed from sin to holiness. That power is Christ. His grace alone can quicken the lifeless faculties of the soul, and attract it to God, to holiness.” Steps to Christ, 18.

2 In what circumstance is all humanity involved? Romans 3:10, 23.

note: “If the transgressor is to be treated according to the letter of this covenant [the law of God], then there is no hope for the fallen race; for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God. The fallen race of Adam can behold nothing else in the letter of this covenant than the ministration of death; and death will be the reward of everyone who is seeking vainly to fashion a righteousness of his own that will fulfill the claims of the law. By His word God has bound Himself to execute the penalty of the law on all transgressors. Again and again men commit sin, and yet they do not seem to believe that they must suffer the penalty for breaking the law.” The Signs of the Times, September 5, 1892.

3 What is sin? 1 John 3:4.

note: “Ministers who exhort sinners to be converted should distinctly define what sin is and what conversion from sin is. Sin is the transgression of the law. [1 John 3:4.] The convicted sinner must exercise repentance toward God for the transgression of His law, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Confrontation, 75.

“The desire for an easy religion that requires no striving, no self-denial, no divorce from the follies of the world, has made the doctrine of faith, and faith only, a popular doctrine . . . .

“Let none deceive themselves with the belief that they can become holy while willfully violating one of God’s requirements. The commission of a known sin silences the witnessing voice of the Spirit and separates the soul from God.” The Great Controversy, 472.

4 By what agency is the sinner convicted of sin? John 16:7, 8. What tool does this agency use to convince the sinner of transgression? Romans 7:9, 13.

note: “The office of the Holy Spirit is distinctly specified in the words of Christ: ‘When He is come, He will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.’ John 16:8. It is the Holy Spirit that convicts of sin. If the sinner responds to the quickening influence of the Spirit, he will be brought to repentance and aroused to the importance of obeying the divine requirements.” The Acts of the Apostles, 52.

“There is no safety nor repose nor justification in transgression of the law. Man cannot hope to stand innocent before God, and at peace with Him through the merits of Christ, while he continues in sin. He must cease to transgress, and become loyal and true. As the sinner looks into the great moral looking glass, he sees his defects of character. He sees himself just as he is, spotted, defiled, and condemned. But he knows that the law cannot in any way remove the guilt or pardon the transgressor. He must go farther than this. The law is but the schoolmaster to bring him to Christ. He must look to his sin-bearing Saviour. And as Christ is revealed to him upon the cross of Calvary, dying beneath the weight of the sins of the whole world, the Holy Spirit shows him the attitude of God to all who repent of their transgressions.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 213.

5 When the sinner is under conviction of wrong has he power himself to turn to obedience? Romans 7:18; 8:7, 8. How does the deliverance come? Romans 5:8; 8:3, 4.

note: “Man cannot transform himself by the exercise of his will. He possesses no power by which this change can be effected. The leaven—something wholly from without—must be put into the meal before the desired change can be wrought in it. So the grace of God must be received by the sinner before he can be fitted for the kingdom of glory. All the culture and education which the world can give will fail of making a degraded child of sin a child of heaven. The renewing energy must come from God. The change can be made only by the Holy Spirit. All who would be saved, high or low, rich or poor, must submit to the working of this power.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 96, 97.

6 What is the first step away from sin? Acts 2:37, 38.

note: “How shall a man be just with God? How shall the sinner be made righteous? It is only through Christ that we can be brought into harmony with God, with holiness; but how are we to come to Christ? Many are asking the same question as did the multitude on the Day of Pentecost, when, convicted of sin, they cried out, ‘What shall we do?’ The first word of Peter’s answer was, ‘Repent.’ Acts 2:37, 38. At another time, shortly after, he said, ‘Repent, . . . and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.’ Acts 3:19.

“Repentance includes sorrow for sin and a turning away from it. We shall not renounce sin unless we see its sinfulness; until we turn away from it in heart, there will be no real change in the life.” Steps to Christ, 23.

7 What is our part in securing pardon? What is Christ’s part? Who does the cleansing? 1 John 1:9. Compare Psalm 32:5; 51:2.

note: “The only reason that we have not remission of sin is that we have not acknowledged to Him whom we have wounded by our transgressions, whom we have pierced by our sins, that we are at fault, and in need of mercy. The confession that is the outpouring of the inmost soul will find its way to the heart of infinite pity; for the Lord is nigh unto him that is of a broken heart, and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit.

“How mistaken are those who imagine that confession of sin will detract from their dignity, and lessen their influence among their fellow men. Clinging to this erroneous idea, though seeing their faults, many fail to confess them, but rather pass by the wrongs they have done others, so embittering their own lives, and shadowing the lives of others. It will not hurt your dignity to confess your sins. Away with this false dignity. Fall on the Rock and be broken, and Christ will give you the true and heavenly dignity. Let not pride, self-esteem, or self-righteousness keep anyone from confessing his sin, that he may claim the promise. ‘He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy’ (Proverbs 28:13).” Selected Messages, Book 1, 326, 327.

8 What change is involved in conversion? Ezekiel 36:26. Compare Jeremiah 32:39; Ezekiel 11:19.

note: “When Jesus speaks of the new heart, He means the mind, the life, the whole being. To have a change of heart is to withdraw the affections from the world, and fasten them upon Christ. To have a new heart is to have a new mind, new purposes, new motives. What is the sign of a new heart?—a changed life. There is a daily, hourly dying to selfishness and pride.

“Then a spirit of kindness will be manifested, not by fits and starts, but continually. There will be a decided change in attitude, in deportment, in words and actions toward all with whom you are in any way connected. You will not magnify their infirmities, you will not place them in an unfavorable light. You will work in Christ’s lines. . . .

“The religion of Christ is to take possession of the whole being, and give force and power to all our faculties, renovating, cleansing, and refining. It manifests itself without parade, and high-sounding words, but is shown in an upright and unselfish life.

“God’s power alone can change a heart of stone to a heart of flesh.” Sons and Daughters of God, 100.

9 How did Jesus describe this divine transformation? John 3:3. Compare John 1:12, 13; 1 Peter 1:23.

note: “The Christian’s life is not a modification or improvement of the old, but a transformation of nature. There is a death to self and sin, and a new life altogether. This change can be brought about only by the effectual working of the Holy Spirit. . . .

“When the Spirit of God takes possession of the heart, it transforms the life. Sinful thoughts are put away, evil deeds are renounced; love, humility, and peace take the place of anger, envy, and strife. Joy takes the place of sadness, and the countenance reflects the light of heaven. . . . The blessing comes when by faith the soul surrenders itself to God. Then that power which no human eye can see creates a new being in the image of God. . . .” God’s Amazing Grace, 22.

10 Who may receive this new birth? John 3:16.

note: “The whole universe is under the control of the Prince of Life. Fallen man is subject to him. He calls upon them to obey, believe, receive, and live. He has paid the ransom money for the whole world. All may be saved through him. He will present those who believe on him to God as loyal subjects of his kingdom. He will be their Mediator as well as their Redeemer. He would gather together a church embracing the whole human family, if all would leave the black banner of rebellion and apostasy, and place themselves under his banner. He will defend his chosen followers against Satan’s power, and will subdue all their enemies. Through him they will be conquerors, and more than conquerors.” The Home Missionary, July 1, 1897.

11 What change will be seen in the converted life? Matthew 3:8; Galatians 5:22, 23.

note: “As the sinner, drawn by the power of Christ, approaches the uplifted cross, and prostrates himself before it, there is a new creation. A new heart is given him. He becomes a new creature in Christ Jesus. Holiness finds that it has nothing more to require. God Himself is ‘the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.’ Romans 3:26. And ‘whom He justified, them He also glorified.’ Romans 8:30. Great as is the shame and degradation through sin, even greater will be the honor and exaltation through redeeming love. To human beings striving for conformity to the divine image there is imparted an outlay of heaven’s treasure, an excellency of power, that will place them higher than even the angels who have never fallen.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 162.

12 What invitation does Jesus still give to those who have tried to work righteousness in their own strength? Matthew 11:28–30.

note: “The natural excellencies that men may imagine they possess are not to be considered. Natural religion, so-called, does not weigh in the scales with God, because all have sinned and come short of his glory. Those who are wise in their own estimation must see their need of heavenly wisdom. This fact is to stand out in clear lines: Man is a lost sheep, and can never, without divine aid, recover himself, or come back to the fold. There is only One who can reclaim him, and restore him to holiness and divine favor,—Jesus Christ our Redeemer. But, degraded by sin as he is, blind and wretched, man may be redeemed if he will accept Christ as his personal Saviour, and come back to his loyalty to God.” The Youth’s Instructor, August 27, 1896.

These lessons are adapted from the Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, California, April 1912.

Bible Study Guides – Personal Victory Through Believing

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February 7, 2004 – February 13, 2004

Memory Verse

“What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive [them], and ye shall have [them].” Mark 11:24.

Suggested Reading: Steps to Christ, 115–126; Education, 253–261.

Introduction

“The greatest victories gained for the cause of God are not the result of labored argument, ample facilities, wide influence, or abundance of means; they are gained in the audience chamber with God, when with earnest, agonizing faith men lay hold upon the mighty arm of power.

“True faith and true prayer—how strong they are! They are as two arms by which the human suppliant lays hold upon the power of Infinite Love. Faith is trusting in God,—believing that He loves us, and knows what is for our best good. Thus, instead of our own way, it leads us to choose His way. In place of our ignorance, it accepts His wisdom; in place of our weakness, His strength; in place of our sinfulness, His righteousness. Our lives, ourselves, are already His; faith acknowledges His ownership, and accepts its blessings. Truth, uprightness, purity, are pointed out as secrets of life’s success. It is faith that puts us in possession of these. Every good impulse or aspiration is the gift of God; faith receives from God the life that alone can produce true growth and efficiency.” Gospel Workers, 259.

1 What is the victory that overcomes the world? 1 John 5:4.

note: “Faith familiarizes the soul with the existence and presence of God, and, living with an eye single to the glory of God, more and more we discern the beauty of His character, the excellence of His grace. Our souls become strong in spiritual power; for we are breathing the atmosphere of heaven, and realizing that God is at our right hand, that we shall not be moved. We are rising above the world, beholding Him who is the chief among ten thousand, the one altogether lovely, and by beholding we are to become changed into His image.” Selected Messages, Book 1, 335.

2 What explanation is given as to what is to be overcome in the world? 1 John 2:16.

note: “Satan is busily at work in our crowded cities. His work is to be seen in the confusion, the strife and discord between labor and capital, and the hypocrisy that has come into the churches. That men may not take time to meditate, Satan leads them into a round of gayety and pleasure-seeking, of eating and drinking. He fills them with ambition to make an exhibition that will exalt self. Step by step, the world is reaching the conditions that existed in the days of Noah. Every conceivable crime is committed. The lust of the flesh, the pride of the eyes, the display of selfishness, the misuse of power, the cruelty, and the force used to cause men to unite with confederacies and unions—binding themselves up in bundles for the burning of the great fires of the last days—all these are the working of Satanic agencies. This round of crime and folly men call ‘life.’ . . .

“The world, who act as though there were no God, absorbed in selfish pursuits, will soon experience sudden destruction, and shall not escape. Many continue in the careless gratification of self until they become so disgusted with life that they kill themselves. Dancing and carousing, drinking and smoking, indulging their animal passions, they go as an ox to the slaughter. Satan is working with all his art and enchantments to keep men marching blindly onward until the Lord arises out of His place to punish the inhabitants of earth for their iniquities, when the earth shall disclose her blood and no more cover her slain. The whole world appears to be in the march to death.” Evangelism, 26.

3 What promise is given to those who pray in faith? Matthew 21:22; Mark 11:24.

note: “The faith which brings an answer to our prayers must be based, not on our supposed needs, but on a statement in the word of God where the thing for which we ask is promised to us. The Lord has not pledged Himself to answer every request we may make, but He has promised to fulfill His own word. We must therefore study the scriptures, know what God has promised and the conditions upon which the promise is based, and then ask in faith.” Sabbath School Lesson Quarterly, Pacific Press Publishing Association, Mountain View, CA, 1912, 23.

4 What is man’s condition by nature? Romans 7:14; John 8:34. Compare Proverbs 5:22.

note: “Oh, how many flatter themselves that they have goodness and righteousness, when the true light of God reveals that all their lives they have only lived to please themselves! Their whole conduct is abhorred of God. How many are alive without the law! In their gross darkness they view themselves with complacency; but let the law of God be revealed to their consciences, as it was to Paul, and they would see that they are sold under sin and must die to the carnal mind. [Romans 7:14.] Self must be slain.” Testimonies, vol. 3, 475.

5 What promise of victory over the powers of darkness was given to the disciples? Luke 9:1. Compare 1 John 4:4.

note: “God calls upon all who will to come and drink of the waters of life freely. The power of God is the one element of efficiency in the grand work of obtaining the victory over the world, the flesh, and the devil. It is in accordance with the divine plan that we follow every ray of light given of God. Man can accomplish nothing without God, and God has arranged His plans so as to accomplish nothing in the restoration of the human race without the cooperation of the human with the divine. The part man is required to sustain is immeasurably small, yet in the plan of God it is just that part that is needed to make the work a success.” God’s Amazing Grace, 319.

6 What encouraging report of victory did the 70 disciples who were sent out to witness give? Luke 10:17.

note: “Like the twelve apostles, the seventy disciples whom Christ sent forth later received supernatural endowments as a seal of their mission. When their work was completed, they returned with joy. [Luke 10:17, 18 quoted.]” The Ministry of Healing, 94.

7 In what words did the Saviour give assurance of victory for the future? Luke 10:18–20.

note: “Henceforth Christ’s followers are to look upon Satan as a conquered foe. Upon the cross, Jesus was to gain the victory for them; that victory He desired them to accept as their own. [Luke 10:19 quoted.]

“The omnipotent power of the Holy Spirit is the defense of every contrite soul. No one who in penitence and faith has claimed His protection will Christ permit to pass under the enemy’s power. It is true that Satan is a powerful being; but, thank God, we have a mighty Saviour, who cast out the evil one from heaven. Satan is pleased when we magnify his power. Why not talk of Jesus? Why not magnify His power and His love?” The Ministry of Healing, 94.

8 When an afflicted woman touched the Saviour, what occurred? What question did Jesus ask? What did Jesus say had gone from Him? Luke 8:43–46.

note: “The golden opportunity had come. She [a woman with affliction] was in the presence of the Great Physician! But amid the confusion she could not speak to Him, nor catch more than a passing glimpse of His figure. Fearful of losing her one chance of relief, she pressed forward, saying to herself, ‘If I may but touch His garment, I shall be whole.’ As He was passing, she reached forward, and succeeded in barely touching the border of His garment. But in that moment she knew that she was healed. In that one touch was concentrated the faith of her life, and instantly her pain and feebleness gave place to the vigor of perfect health. . . .

“The Saviour could distinguish the touch of faith from the casual contact of the careless throng. Such trust should not be passed without comment. He would speak to the humble woman words of comfort that would be to her a wellspring of joy,—words that would be a blessing to His followers to the close of time.” The Desire of Ages, 343, 344.

9 What comforting words did Jesus speak to the woman? What made her whole? Luke 8:47, 48.

note: “Looking toward the woman, Jesus insisted on knowing who had touched Him. Finding concealment vain, she came forward tremblingly, and cast herself at His feet. With grateful tears she told the story of her suffering, and how she had found relief. Jesus gently said, ‘Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.’ [Luke 8:48.] He gave no opportunity for superstition to claim healing virtue for the mere act of touching His garments. It was not through the outward contact with Him, but through the faith which took hold on His divine power, that the cure was wrought.” The Desire of Ages, 344, 347.

“The wondering crowd that pressed close about Christ realized no accession of vital power. But when the suffering woman put forth her hand to touch Him, believing that she would be made whole, she felt the healing virtue. So in spiritual things. To talk of religion in a casual way, to pray without soul hunger and living faith, avails nothing. A nominal faith in Christ, which accepts Him merely as the Saviour of the world, can never bring healing to the soul. The faith that is unto salvation is not a mere intellectual assent to the truth. He who waits for entire knowledge before he will exercise faith, cannot receive blessing from God. It is not enough to believe about Christ; we must believe in Him. The only faith that will benefit us is that which embraces Him as a personal Saviour; which appropriates His merits to ourselves. Many hold faith as an opinion. Saving faith is a transaction by which those who receive Christ join themselves in covenant relation with God. Genuine faith is life. A living faith means an increase of vigor, a confiding trust, by which the soul becomes a conquering power.” Ibid., 347.

10 When the palsied man was brought before Him, what did Jesus say to him? Luke 5:18–20.

note: “The palsied man had sunk into despair. Then he heard of the works of Jesus. Others, as sinful and helpless as he, had been healed, and he was encouraged to believe that he, too, might be cured if he could be carried to the Saviour. But hope fell as he remembered the cause of his malady, yet he could not cast away the possibility of healing.

“His great desire was relief from the burden of sin. He longed to see Jesus and receive the assurance of forgiveness and peace with heaven. Then he would be content to live or to die, according to God’s will.” The Ministry of Healing, 73, 74.

11 How did Jesus rebuke the unbelief of the Pharisees? Luke 5:21–24.

note: “The rabbis had waited anxiously to see what disposition Christ would make of this case [the palsied man]. They recollected how the man had appealed to them for help, and they had refused him hope or sympathy. Not satisfied with this, they had declared that he was suffering the curse of God for his sins. These things came fresh to their minds when they saw the sick man before them. They marked the interest with which all were watching the scene, and they felt a terrible fear of losing their own influence over the people.” The Desire of Ages, 268.

“The Pharisees were dumb with amazement and overwhelmed with defeat. They saw that here was no opportunity for their jealousy to inflame the multitude. The wonderful work wrought upon the man whom they had given over to the wrath of God had so impressed the people that the rabbis were for the time forgotten. They saw that Christ possessed a power which they had ascribed to God alone; yet the gentle dignity of His manner was in marked contrast to their own haughty bearing. They were disconcerted and abashed, recognizing, but not confessing, the presence of a superior being. The stronger the evidence that Jesus had power on earth to forgive sins, the more firmly they entrenched themselves in unbelief. . . .

“Physical disease, however malignant and deep-seated, was healed by the power of Christ; but the disease of the soul took a firmer hold upon those who closed their eyes against the light. Leprosy and palsy were not so terrible as bigotry and unbelief.” Ibid., 270, 271.

12 What gracious invitation is extended to all the afflicted and oppressed? Matthew 11:28–30.

note: “Wearing Christ’s yoke and learning of Him the lesson of meekness and lowliness, we find rest in faith, and confidence and trust. We find that Christ’s yoke is easy and His burden light.” Testimonies, vol. 9, 124.

The Malignity of Sin, Part II

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You do realize, do you not, that the entire universe is watching you? Do not forget that you have been granted a probationary period in which to demonstrate your loyalty to the god you serve. “During probationary time the grace of God is offered to every soul. But if men waste their opportunities in self-pleasing, they cut themselves off from everlasting life. No after-probation will be granted them. By their own choice they have fixed an impassable gulf between them and their God.” God’s Amazing Grace, 243.

“Probationary time is granted us, opportunities and privileges are given us, to make our calling and election sure. How we should prize this precious time and improve every talent God has given, that we may be faithful stewards over ourselves!” In Heavenly Places, 359.

“Fallen man has the privilege of becoming intelligent in regard to the will of God. While probationary time is granted us, we should put our faculties to the very highest use, that we may make of ourselves all that it is possible; and while we endeavor to reach a high standard of intelligence, we should feel our dependence upon God, for without his grace, our efforts cannot bring lasting benefit. It is through the grace of Christ that we are to be overcomers; through the merits of his blood we are to be of that number whose names will not be blotted out of the book of life. Those who are final overcomers will have the life that runs parallel with the life of God, and wear the crown of the victor. When such great and eternal reward awaits us, we should run the race with patience, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.” The Signs of the Times, June 15, 1891.

This is a Test

Perhaps Abraham was called to give the greatest sacrifice ever required by a human being. Imagine being asked to cut the throat of your son! Do you realize that, because of Abraham’s earlier demonstration of lack of faith, Satan made accusations against him before the angels?

“The sacrifice required of Abraham was not alone for his own good, nor solely for the benefit of succeeding generations; but it was also for the instruction of the sinless intelligences of heaven and of other worlds. . . . Because Abraham had shown a lack of faith in God’s promises, Satan had accused him before the angels and before God of having failed to comply with the conditions of the covenant, and as unworthy of its blessings. God desired to prove the loyalty of His servant before all heaven, to demonstrate that nothing less than perfect obedience can be accepted, and to open more fully before them the plan of salvation.

“Heavenly beings were witnesses of the scene as the faith of Abraham and the submission of Isaac were tested. . . . All heaven beheld with wonder and admiration Abraham’s unfaltering obedience. All heaven applauded his fidelity.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 154, 155.

As with Abraham, because of our lack of faith, the test of loyalty we must go through (and should strive to excel) will tax our faith to the uttermost. The universe is watching us today. As we face our temptations, tests, and trials, heavenly beings are watching with great interest. One day soon our probationary time will be over. We do not know when, but we do know that the time will surely come. We will not receive a warning notice in the mail, nor will we be able to make arrangements for an extended period of grace. The books will be closed. What will be your final tally? It is up to you. Only you can make the difference.

The Work of Faith

One of my favorite chapters in the Bible is Hebrews 11. What an inspiration to read the accounts, “By faith . . . .” Our Bible heroes accomplished great things! Why don’t you put this study aside for a few minutes, get your Bible, and read that motivating chapter right now! Again and again we read the accounts where Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, and others feared, trusted, and obeyed the Lord and were blessed. Consistently, they received instruction from the Lord, acted upon it and received a blessing. Instruction + Action = Blessings!

While chapter 11 is an historical account, chapter 12 is for us today. I encourage you to go through this chapter in your personal study time, but for right now, take a close look at the first four verses: “Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset [us], and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of [our] faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”

“The weights that are here referred to [Hebrews 12:1] are the evil habits and practices we have formed by following our own natural dispositions. Who are the witnesses? They are those spoken of in the previous chapter—those who have breasted the evils and difficulties in their way, and who in the name of the Lord have braced themselves successfully against the opposing forces of evil. They were sustained and strengthened and the Lord held them by His hand.

“There are other witnesses. All about us are those who are watching us closely, to see how we who profess a belief in the truth conduct ourselves. At all times and in all places, so far as possible, we must magnify the truth before the world.” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 934.

For the most part, we do not know what it means to resist unto blood, striving against sin. Usually, we do not even work up a good sweat. When one of our “desires” presents itself to us, we may, at first, put up a little resistance. We may even mentally give a decided No! But before long, we are smitten. We parley with the tempter. Then we begin to negotiate—“Just a little of this. Maybe just this once.” We begin to justify what we are about to do. Before we know it, we are seduced. We are in the spider’s web. Captured.

“Every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.” James 1:14, 15.

Although temptation alone is not sin, when it is ignited by the sparks of humanity’s lustful desires, sin is the result. Sin is the transgression of God’s law (1 John 3:4), a departing from Him alone Who can save us.

“The tempted one needs to understand the true force of the will. This is the governing power in the nature of man—the power of decision, of choice. Everything depends on the right action of the will. Desires for goodness and purity are right, so far as they go; but if they stop here, they avail nothing. Many will go down to ruin while hoping and desiring to overcome their evil propensities. They do not yield the will to God. They do not choose to serve Him.” The Ministry of Healing, 176.

“The righteousness of Christ is not a cloak to cover unconfessed and unforsaken sin; it is a principle of life that transforms the character and controls the conduct. Holiness is wholeness for God; it is the entire surrender of heart and life to the indwelling of the principles of heaven.” The Desire of Ages, 555, 556.

The Way of Escape

“There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God [is] faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear [it].” 1 Corinthians 10:13.

“And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This [is] the way, walk ye in it . . . .” Isaiah 30:21.

“I have seen the tender love that God has for His people, and it is very great. I saw angels over the saints with their wings spread about them. Each saint had an attending angel. If the saints wept through discouragement, or were in danger, the angels that ever attended them would fly quickly upward to carry the tidings, and the angels in the city would cease to sing. Then Jesus would commission another angel to descend to encourage, watch over, and try to keep them from going out of the narrow path; but if they did not take heed to the watchful care of these angels, and would not be comforted by them, but continued to go astray, the angels would look sad and weep. They would bear the tidings upward, and all the angels in the city would weep, and then with a loud voice say, ‘Amen.’ But if the saints fixed their eyes upon the prize before them and glorified God by praising Him, then the angels would bear the glad tidings to the city, and the angels in the city would touch their golden harps and sing with a loud voice, ‘Alleluia!’ and the heavenly arches would ring with their lovely songs.” Early Writings, 39.

Obviously, we do not realize the effort expended in heaven to provide us every opportunity to be successful, because if we did, we would take full advantage of it. When the temptation comes, a way of escape is made available. The same power available to Jesus, by which He was victorious, is available to us today. Right now!

“In Christ dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This is why, although He was tempted in all points like as we are, He stood before the world, from His first entrance into it, untainted by corruption, though surrounded by it. Are we not also to become partakers of that fullness, and is it not thus, and thus only, that we can overcome as He overcame?” “Ellen G. White Comments,” Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, vol. 7, 907.

When you resist this effort—the heavenly power to keep you from falling to temptation—you demonstrate the true power of your will. If need be, all of heaven would be emptied in answer to your cry. Jesus is waiting, and the angels are ever ready and willing to come to your aid. But when the temptation comes, you cry, “I am weak,” and in your “weakness” (which is more accurately your strength, because in reality, you desire to partake of the temptation), you resist the power of the entire Godhead. That is what you and I do each time we decide to sin. In our “weakness” we manifest our true strength and desire to sin. But when we choose to do the right thing, and then do it, all heaven rejoices!

“As soon as we incline our will to harmonize with God’s will, the grace of Christ stands ready to cooperate with the human agent.” In Heavenly Places, 27.

“In the whole Satanic force there is not power to overcome one soul who in simple trust casts himself on Christ.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 157.

“Satan is ever ready to insinuate that prayer is a mere form, and avails us nothing. He cannot bear to have his powerful rival appealed to. At the sound of fervent prayer, the hosts of darkness tremble. Fearing that their captive may escape, they form a wall around him, that Heaven’s light may not reach his soul. But if in his distress and helplessness the sinner looks to Jesus, pleading the merits of his blood, our compassionate Redeemer listens to the earnest, persevering prayer of faith, and sends to his deliverance a re-enforcement of angels that excel in strength. And when these angels, all-powerful, clothed with the armory of Heaven, come to the help of the fainting, pursued soul, the angels of darkness fall back, well knowing that their battle is lost, and that one more soul is escaping from the power of their influence.” The Signs of the Times, November 18, 1886.

“We want to become so sensitive to holy influences, that the lightest whisper of Jesus will move our souls.” Selected Messages, Book 3, 355.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

“Those who would overcome must put to the tax every power of their being. They must agonize on their knees before God for divine power. . . . Men may have a power to resist evil—a power that neither earth, nor death, nor hell can master; a power that will place them where they may overcome as Christ overcame. Divinity and humanity may be combined in them.” Review and Herald, February 18, 1890.

We have another formula: Humanity + Divinity = Victory. How does this happen? The first ten verses of 11 Peter 1 give us a glimpse, but let us look at verse 4: “Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” This theme lies at the root of many of Paul’s writings. (See also Ephesians 2:1–6.)

Inspiration gives us clear illustrations of how this happens. “We must realize that through belief in him [Jesus Christ] it is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, and so escape the corruption that is in the world through lust. Then we are cleansed from all sin, all defects of character. We need not retain one sinful propensity. . . .

“As we partake of the divine nature, hereditary and cultivated tendencies to wrong are cut away from the character, and we are made a living power for good. Ever learning of the divine Teacher, daily partaking of His nature, we co-operate with God in overcoming Satan’s temptations. God works, and man works, that man may be one with Christ as Christ is one with God. Then we sit together with Christ in heavenly places.” Review and Herald, April 24, 1900.

“It is our privilege to be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. God has plainly stated that He requires us to be perfect; and because He requires this, He has made provision that we may be partakers of the divine nature. Only thus can we gain success in our striving for eternal life. The power is given by Christ. ‘As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God’ (John 1:12).” Selected Messages, Book 3, 203.

“God’s purpose for us is that we shall be partakers of the divine nature. Only thus can we overcome the evils that beset us. It is by beholding Christ that we are made partakers of his nature. Keeping him ever in view, we are changed into his likeness. Thus we gain strength to overcome as he overcame. God does not ask us to fight the battle against sin in our own strength. He has given Christ to be our helper in every time of need.” Review and Herald, September 3, 1903.

“Christ has pledged himself to co-operate with those who work with him. He has pledged himself to train us to be his colaborers. He will help us to follow his example, doing good, and refusing to do evil. By Christ’s wonderful union of divinity with humanity, we are assured that even in this world we may be partakers of the divine nature, overcoming the corruption that is in the world through lust.” Ibid., May 13, 1909.

“The human agent who yields obedience to God, who becomes a partaker of the divine nature, finds pleasure in keeping the commandments of God; for he is one with God; he holds as vital a relation with God as does the Son to the Father. He understands the oneness that Christ prayed might exist between the Father and the Son.” The Youth’s Instructor, October 24, 1895.

“When we know God as it is our privilege to know Him, our life will be a life of continual obedience. Through an appreciation of the character of Christ, through communion with God, sin will become hateful to us.” The Desire of Ages, 668.

The Diagnosis

My friend, you and I suffer from the same terminal disease—sin. Yours may not be as far advanced and widespread as mine, but it is, nonetheless, just as deadly. Just as my neighbor and her husband are willing to do “whatever it takes” to overcome his cancer [see Part I in the February 2004 LandMarks], so must we be willing to do whatever is necessary to overcome our sins. The sins, which so easily beset us, must be resisted unto blood—now! Just as the addict and alcoholic must forsake their drug of choice, we must turn away from our cherished sins. There is only one type of offering that will be accepted by the God of Heaven. It has no blemish. It has no taint of carnal humanity.

There is coming a day—and I believe it is sooner than we would like to believe—when each of us will have to face our life’s record. On that day, there will be no negotiations, no explanations, and no exemptions. Our lives, our words, and our deeds will be measured alongside God’s unchangeable law—the same law that has governed this universe from the beginning and will continue throughout eternity. This may be your last reminder.

“Your only safety is in coming to Christ, and ceasing from sin this very moment. The sweet voice of mercy is sounding in your ears today, but who can tell if it will sound tomorrow?” The Signs of the Times, August 29, 1892.

It is far too late in this earth’s history to be playing games with your eternal destiny. “Choose you this day whom ye will serve . . . .” Joshua 24:15.

The Cure

“If man will cooperate with God by returning willingly to his loyalty, and obeying the commandments, God will receive him as a son. Through the provision Christ has made by taking the punishment due to man, we may be reinstated in God’s favor, being made partakers of the divine nature. If we repent of our transgression, and receive Christ as the Life-giver, our personal Saviour, we become one with him, and our will is brought into harmony with the divine will. We become partakers of the life of Christ, which is eternal. We derive immortality from God by receiving the life of Christ for in Christ dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily. This life is the mystical union and cooperation of the divine with the human.” The Signs of the Times, June 17, 1897.

Cathy Summers Timmons, a Steps to Life staff member and a member of LandMarks’ editorial staff, writes from her home in Wichita, Kansas. She may be contacted by e-mail at: cathytimmons@stepstolife.org.